Dealing Depression- Guide to the Mood Disorder

Depression is one of the major disorders as to why people approach psychiatrist based on WHO study. According to the study, depression can be the second largest illness morbidity within a decade. The study highlights more worrying figures of depression affecting every 2 out of 5 women, and twelve in men, even among school goers the percentage is said to be 2% and 5% among teenagers.

This is an abstract presented to us by various studies conducted on the topic. Now, it’s up to us to explain themental disorder that plagues such a huge population.

Depression is a mood disorder which can be characterized by disturbances in behavioral pattern or prolonged maladaptive emotional state.

As a society, many stigmas is related to depression, mainly people associating it with weakness in personality or instability of the mind. With more studies coming up, the definition of depression has been painted within a framework helping us to have develop a focused treatment.

A mere definition doesn’t suggest that depression is a present in only a single variant, for eg, Malaria is a disease but it comprises of different variations based on genetic reform and mutation. Likewise, depression also has three major types-

1) Major depression– this is the most extreme variant of it, where the symptoms associated with it are at its maximum which may lead to disabling episodes which may be in between intervals or repetitive.

2) Dsythymia– it is a less severe type of depression, where the symptoms are present but do not lead to any maladaptive behavioral pattern or in lay man’s term ‘breakdown’ but doesn’t let the person achieve a healthy outlook. But a person with dysthymia can develop major depression if not treated for its symptoms,

3) Manic-Depressive or Bipolar– Peron suffering from it experiences a cycle of depressive and manic symptoms. These experiences may be drastic or gradual, where the person might have any symptoms related to both mania and depression.

Symptoms associated are very common emotions felt by people, but the repetitive nature and its impact on the individual’s mental health based on a certified professional assessment determines the gravity and type of depression. The symptoms are-

1) Persistent of sad, anxiety, or empty mood

2) Pessimistic

3) Restlessness, irritability,

4) Suicidal

5) Loss of Libido

6) Headaches, digestive problems and chronic pain.

However, it’s not necessary that an individual to be diagnosed for depression or mania, has to have these symptoms in a following order, or altogether. Every case of depression is unique to its symptoms.

It might to be believed that depression arouse from the stressful lives that people leave today, and as advised by non-professionals to deal with depression is just to relax, but the causes of depression is a very large scope of study.

1) Genetic– genetic plays a very important role in the case of Bipolar disorder, where 50% patient had parents or relatives with clinical depression. The proteins in the gene make-up is likely the cause based on recent study.

Environment also presents many influences which can cause depression, like-

1) Traumatic experiences– An individual might be scared with due severe incidents In their life, maybe a tragic accident, loss of someone close and loved, sexual molestation, rape. These horrific incidents might propagate in the individual sadness, mania and other likewise symptoms.

2) Childhood difficulties– children with troubled past like parents divorce/separation, physical abuse, sexual abuse. Also death of their beloved leaves a impact, and children exposed to these events are more prone to develop depression.

3) Synthetic– this is mostly related to addictive substances like, cocaine or even alcohol. This hollows the health of the person, both physically and mentally, making them prone to depression.

In conclusion, Depression is a very serious mental disorder which has the power to take the life of the person suffering from it, hurt the people engaged with the diagnosed person in a close proximity.

The mental state of the depressed individual becomes very fragile and any above mentioned causes or symptoms can trigger It to a more extreme step.

The treatment for it, depends on the psychologists and psychiatrist dealing with the patient. The treatment might vary from anti-depressants to exercises and so forth, with the duration of the treatment also varying.

So depression is no joke, and seeking a professional help is the correct way to go about it cause by own diagnosis, it might be mischaracterized as a bad mood day. Psychology has developed since Sigmund Freud started with itmodernization and now, depression can be dealt with social interaction, therapy and other non-substance method.