There is no doubt that depression is a serious mental illness that requires months and even years of treatment on the road to recovery. Hippocrates referred to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile with blood, phlegm, yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that described the theory of basic medical physiology of that time. Depression, also known as clinical depression, has been described in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression is considered an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and the modern victim of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents and his influence the development of depression.
Each year, millions of people realize that they suffer from depression. To make matters worse, it is estimated that only one third of people with the disease will seek treatment. Because depression is considered a mental disorder, many patients are reluctant to seek help from a doctor. Instead of being considered mentally ill, people try to handle the problem themselves. Depression is the most common place than you think, and will not go away by itself.
Depression has no single cause, often the result of a combination of things. You can have no idea why depression has beaten.
Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical that transmits signals in the brain and nerves. These chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Some of the most common factors related to depression are:
* Family history. Genetics play a role in depression. It can run in families for generations.
* Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship or the death of a loved one, can trigger depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, school or getting married.
* Personality pessimistic. People with low self-esteem and a negative outlook are more likely to suffer from depression. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).
* The physical conditions. Serious medical conditions such as heart disease, cancer and HIV can contribute to depression, partly because of the physical weakness and stress they bring. Depression can make medical conditions worse, since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.
* Other psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often occur with depression.
Why do people depression? The answer can be very complicated because you have to consider several factors. The list is quite long. We will list some of the factors that contribute to depression. A chemical imbalance is widely regarded as the main cause of depression. Why this problem chemical in the brain? Generally, the causes of the biological implications, genetic, physical, mental and environmental. In many cases, the underlying cause is never identified. Depression often follows the diagnosis of other diseases, especially those that result in death are imminent or chronic.
Scientists do not know why the hippocampus is lower among people with depression. Some researchers have found that cortisol, the stress hormone overproduced in depressed people. These researchers believe that cortisol has a toxic or toxic effects in the hippocampus. Some experts suggest that depressed people are simply born with a small hippocampus and therefore likely to suffer from depression.
Another cause of depression may be the emotional pain after losing a loved one. In many cases, the loss can be very traumatic. Long periods of sexual physical abuse or other emotional, can lead to depression. When people abuse drugs and / or alcohol, the result is often depression. Mental states are fragile. In case of exposure to bad pressure, depression can result. It may also be a genetic component to depression. People with a family history of the disease. Interestingly, many of the drugs, including those that regulate depression or anxiety can cause depression. Medication against hypertension can lead to depression.
One of the major causes of depression is stress. Stress can come from many areas of our lives. It is not well known, but it is true that stress can lead to pressures associated with positive events such as a new job paid, high. The question is often the cause of stress, whether positive or negative. The arguments with family members, conflicts with enterprise customers can also cause stress.
The causes of clinical depression is likely to be different for different people. Sometimes a depressive episode may appear out of nowhere at a time when everything seems to be fine. Other times, depression can be directly related to an important event in our life, like the loss of a loved one, trauma, or the fight against chronic disease.
Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Neuroimaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the brains of people with depression look different than those of people without depression. Those responsible for the regulation of brain mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function normally. Moreover, neurotransmitters-chemicals that brain cells use to communicate important seems to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred.
Scientists believe that genetic factors play a role in some depressions. The researchers hope that, for example, are closer to the genetic markers of susceptibility to manic-depressive illness.
Depression in adolescence comes at a time of great personal change when children form an identity separate from their parents, grappling with gender issues and emerging sexuality, and making decisions for the first time in their lives. The teenage depression often coexists with other disorders such as anxiety, disruptive behavior, eating disorders or substance abuse. Can also lead to an increased risk of suicide.
Teen depression can not always be avoided, but there are some things that can help reduce the chances of an episode of depression in an adolescent who is at risk.
Depression in adolescents is presented for troubled teens or parents of teens. We provide information on adolescent depression, questions, and other teenage issues. Our articles have been written to educate parents and teens about depression in teens, signs, and various treatment options available.
Among the causes of depression in teenagers seem to be genetic, and you can not change, but other triggers of depression in adolescents can be prevented. Some of the risk factors for depression in adolescents are:
* A personal or family history of depression
* An illness or long-term disability, whether physical or mental
* The experience of trauma or loss, including violence, divorce, death of a loved one, or a pause
* Difficulties at home, at school or with friends
If you know a young person who has or is at risk of depression, can help youth:
* Speaking and listening
* Encourage your child to participate in positive activities and take good care of yourself
* Be fair when it comes to discipline or adolescent
* Set a good example of a good care of yourself and get help if you feel depressed or overwhelmed.
Most older depressed improved when treated with antidepressants, or a combination of both.18 Research has shown that medication alone and combination therapy is effective in reducing the rate of recurrence of depression among people elderly. Psychotherapy alone may be effective in prolonging periods free of depression, especially in elderly patients with minor depression, and is particularly useful for those who are unable or unwilling to take antidepressant medications.
Additional research data indicate that people suffering from depression have imbalances of neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate. Two transmitters implicated in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine. Scientists believe that a deficiency of serotonin can cause sleep problems, irritability, and anxiety associated with depression. Similarly, a decrease in the amount of norepinephrine, which regulates alertness and arousal, may contribute to the condition of fatigue, mood and depression. Other body chemicals can also be altered in depressed people. Among them is cortisol, a hormone the body produces in response to stress, anger or fear. In normal individuals, the level of cortisol in the bloodstream of the peaks in the morning and decreases throughout the day. Depressed people, however, cortisol peaks early in the morning and stabilizes or decreases in the afternoon or evening.
There is increasing evidence that depression has serious repercussions on the physical evidence. Exploration of recent studies focused on depression patients coronary artery disease or stroke and health. The results showed that people with depression who are recovering from strokes or heart attacks are more difficult to make healthy choices, as instructed by your doctor, and deal with the challenges of their illness. Another study showed that patients with depression also have an increased risk of death in the first month after a heart attack.
Some people have a low threshold for stress. They are affected by events and other activities that do not seem to be very stressful. The good news is that effective treatments to help those who are depressed. However, only about a third of those who are depressed can receive treatment. This is unfortunate, since the increase in 80-90% of those who seek treatment can feel better within a few weeks. Many people do not seek treatment for depression for a variety of reasons. Some believe that depression is the result of personal weakness or a character flaw. This is simply not true. Such as diabetes, heart disease or any other medical condition, clinical depression is a disease that must be treated by a mental health professional or physician. Another reason why many people do not seek help for depression is that they simply do not recognize the signs or symptoms that something may be wrong.
Knowing is half the battle. If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, please seek medical help.