What is Depression(Major Depression Disorder), what are the Symptoms of Depression, Diagnosis, Causes, Treatment, ....

 Depression(Major Depression Disorder), Symptoms, Diagnosis, Causes, Treatment

Depression

Is depression is real?

Yes, depression is real, it is a mental illness that affects the mental functioning of the suffering person.

 Depression is put under the category of mood disorder, Depressive Disorders.

In DSM 5 eight categories of Depressive Disorders including Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, substance/medication-induced depressive disorder, depressive disorder due to another medical condition, other specified depressive disorder, other un-specified depressive disorder

        The common symptoms of all these disorders are the presence of sad empty or irritable mood, somatic and cognitive changes that significantly disturb the individual’s ability to function. differences exist in the period, timing, or assumed causes.

Major Depressive Disorder

Symptoms

Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder according to DSM 5 ARE;

• Depressed mood or low mood most of the day, individual with this disorder feel sad, empty, and hopeless nearly every day for 2 weeks. Individual’s such feelings can be observed by others.

• Lack of interest in daily activities. Individuals do not want to do those tasks which they previously do with interest. Lack of interest in hobbies.

• Individuals Appetite increases or decreases because of which individual gain or loss weight

• Individual’s sleep patterns disturb have insomnia (sleeplessness) or hypersomnia(sleep increases).

• Loss of concentration is observed by others.

• Person feel lethargic or down

• Individuals have a negative self-image have feelings of worthlessness, have guilt feelings,

• An individual has suicidal thoughts,

 

person feeling lonely

All these symptoms causes impairment in social, occupational, education, in almost all daily activities.

All these symptoms are not because of any use of substance or medication,

Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder

The individual will be diagnosed with depression if five of the above symptoms occur for at least two weeks. Identifying feature for the diagnosis of this disorder is the loss of interest in activities or depressed or sad mood.

women feeling sad and low

Age for Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder can occur at any age but onset is mostly puberty. In the US it is on the peak in the 20s.

Risk factors

Temperamental: Negative Affectivity(Neuroticism), mostly occurs in response to a stressful situation.

Environmental: stressful life events, childhood problems, financial problems, death of loved ones, etc. all are the possible causes of Major Depressive Disorder.

Genetic And Physiological Factors: There are three to four percent more chances for those with First Degree family members of an individual with Major Depressive Disorder has a risk for Major Depressive Disorder

what depression feels like?

Depression feels like darkness, where there is no point of escape. Individuals feel, empty, helpless, hopeless, feel alone among the masses and individual feel useless. when you are sad every thing seems tearfully and dark. 

everything seems tearfully and dark

is depression genetic

yes, depression can be a genetic disorder? There are three to four percent more chances for those with First Degree family members of the individual with Major Depressive Disorder have a risk for Major Depressive Disorder. Heritability is about 40%. And personality trait neuroticism is the explanation for a substantial portion of this genetic problem.

Depression With Psychosis

In addition to the above all symptoms if an individual has delusions (negatively interpret the external cues) and hallucinations (seeing images or hearing voices, without any external stimulus), then we a diagnosed individual have Major Depressive Disorder With Psychotic Features.

Comorbidity :

Major Depressive Disorder frequently co-occurs in response to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline disorder.

Treatment

Yes, depression is cured able. We can use the following method.

Medical Treatment

For major depressive disorder, mostly anti-depressant Like  Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)are prescribed by the Psychiatrist.

Psychological Treatment:

1. Support by the family
2. Psychotherapy or talk therapy provide through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT).