Major Depressive Disorder – commonly known as depression – a condition that affects the body, mood and thoughts. Not to be confused with a passing of sadness – depression can have severe repercussions in the form of the person's life. That affects a person's appetite, sleep and work. It affects relationships and how a person feels about himself. Depression is not a sign of weakness, or disease that can be willed or wished away. One can not just change things in an instant – Without treatment, symptoms can last for days, weeks, months or even years.

Types of depression

Depressive Disorder comes in different forms. Three of the most common types of depressive disorders are major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder – is instructive to note that within these types of variations in the number of symptoms, persistence and severity of they are.

Major depression is evidenced by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to live a normal productive life. A very disabling episode of major depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in the life of a person.

Dysthymia is a less severe, yet keeps one works well. It is chronic, long-term symptoms that are not disabling and leaves a feeling of misery. People with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes sometime in their lives.

Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive disorder is not as prevalent as other forms of depression. It is characterized by cyclical mood swings – severe highs (mania) and lows severe (depression). The mood changes are sometimes rapid and dramatic, but more often they are gradual. An individual in the cycle of depression can have some or all symptoms of a depressive disorder, and when in the manic phase, the individual may be overactive and have a great deal of energy. Mania often affected, ruling social behavior, and thinking – which lead to embarrassment and trouble. If untreated, mania may worsen into a psychotic state.

Symptoms of depression

– Appetite and / gain or weight loss or overeating and weight
– Persistent feelings of emptiness, irritability, sadness or tension
– Decreased ability to concentrate or make decisions
– Decreased energy
– Difficulty remembering
– Fatigue
– Feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism, and worthlessness
– Insomnia, waking up too early
– Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities enjoyed before, including sex
– Oversleeping
– Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as pain chronic digestive disorders, headaches
– Restlessness
– Thoughts of death or suicide, sometimes with suicide attempts

Causes of depression

Depression has no single cause – is often the result of a combination of factors. Whatever the cause, depression is not just a state of mind – which is correlative to the physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a chemical that carries signals in the brain and nerves. These are neurotransmitters.

Factors Related to Depression

Family: Genetics play a crucial role in depression. It can run in the family for generations, suggesting that a biological vulnerability can be inherited – often the case in bipolar disorder. Major depression seems to occur generation after generation in some families, but also can occur in people who have no family history of disease. Inherited or not, major depressive disorders are often associated with variations in brain function and brain structure.

Pessimistic personality: People with low self-esteem, those who always see themselves and the world with negative thoughts, or who are readily overwhelmed by stress are at greater risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by dysthymia.

Physical conditions: Researching through the years have shown that physical changes in the body can be accompanied by mental changes. Serious medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and HIV can contribute to depression, partly due to physical stress and weakness they bring. Depression may worsen medical conditions, which weakens the immune system and make the pain more unbearable. The patient loses the desire to take care of himself, which leads to more complications. In some cases, depression is a side effect of medications used to treat medical conditions.

Stress Trauma and major changes in life – a broken relationship, death of a loved one, financial problems – can bring depression. Even positive changes like graduating from school married, or starting a new job may cause depression.

About the Author:

Ted Goodman is a freelance writer and editor working for Romow Internet Web Directory. Find quality health resources and health articles on the site.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Depression – Types, Causes and Symptoms

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