depression.

DEPRESSION.

What is depression?

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and severe medical illness that has a negative impact on how you feel, thinking, and acting. Luckily, it can also be treated. Depression creates sorrow and/or loss of interest they once enjoyed It can lead to a multitude of mental and physical issues and can diminish the capacity of a person to function and operate.

 Symptoms

• Mood: anger, aggressiveness, irritability, anxiousness, restlessness
• Emotional: feeling empty, sad, hopeless
• Behavioral: loss of interest, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, feeling tired easily, thoughts of suicide, drinking excessively, using drugs, engaging in high-risk activities
• Sexual: reduced sexual desire, lack of sexual performance
• Cognitive: inability to concentrate, difficulty completing tasks, delayed responses during conversations
• Sleep: insomnia, restless sleep, excessive sleepiness, not sleeping through the night
• Physical: fatigue, pains, headache, digestive problems

Fast facts on depression:

• depression is more common among women than men
• symptoms include lack of happiness and interest to the things that used to be a person's happiness.
• The causes of depression are not fully understood but are likely to be a complex combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors.

Causes

• ➤genetics
• ➤biological - changes in neurotransmitter levels
• ➤environmental
• ➤psychological and social (psychosocial)

Treatment

• Support, ranging from discussing practical solutions and contributing stresses, to educating family members.
• Psychotherapy, also known as talking therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
• Drug treatment, specifically antidepressant