Saturday, February 27, 2016

Depression

When sadness and feelings of hopelessness are affecting your life, there may be a serious underlying problem. Depression is a mental illness that can affect people of all ages. It is more common in women than in men. About 6.7% of the U.S. population experiences a depressive episode every year. A depressive episode is defined as having the symptoms of depression for at least two weeks. Some symptoms of depression include

  • "Empty" feeling
  • Loss of interest in activities
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Changes in appetite
  • Thoughts of suicide
Depression can be caused by a number of different reasons. There may be more than one factor that can trigger a depressive episode. Environment can play a big role depression. Everything from difficult relationships to financial problems can be a factor in depression. Genetics is another factor. Some people may be more likely to get depression if they have other family members that are experiencing it as well. If a person experiences a trauma, especially at a young age that may contribute to.

Treatments for depression usually work very well. There are quite a few antidepressant medications and mood stabilizers that people can take to help improve their moods. Psychotherapy can also help people who are experiencing depression that is not very severe. Electroconvulsive therapy has been something that many people view as a bad form of treatment. It is actually very effective. Many people are concerned about memory loss but research has shown that any side effects are usually short term and leave no lasting problems for the patients.

Depression is a serious condition that should always be taken seriously. It can have terrible results if it is left untreated. Knowing the signs and symptoms can help people identify depression in friends and loved ones.




References:
Depression. (2016). National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression

Depression. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

9 comments:

  1. Thank you for your post! I enjoyed this post because depression is a very important topic that I believe people should have knowledge on. You provided signs, symptoms, causes, and treatments as well, which was all very helpful when wanting to learn about depression. Thank you for this informative post, I really enjoyed it.

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  2. This bog is very important and I am glad you wrote on it. I agree with Emily when she said people should know about it. As college students and young adults, depression is fairly common and everyone should understand that it is not just a "phase" or "a bad day", it is a serious disease that is mentally and physically crippling. So thank you for choosing this and informing us more on it. Great job.

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  3. Great post. Its very important for people to be aware of this because this very common for people our ages and being in college is very stressful. I like this because you provided a lot of information on depression like the sings ans symptoms and treatment as well.

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  4. I have met many people who have dealt with depression. It can be hard to deal with, especially when no one around you takes it seriously. Many people just tell people to get over it, but sometimes it takes time to deal with hard situations. Someone shouldn't rip a band aide off a wound if it's not healed, and act like everything is OK.
    I thing your post described Depression well, and I liked how you included different ways to help live with it.

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  5. This post has great information that everyone should read. I have had family members and patients who suffered from depression and it is a tough thing to deal with. It is a good decision for someone to know the signs and symptoms of depression so that they can get things taken care of before it gets worse. Great job!

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  6. Thanks for the great post! I found the information very interesting. My uncle is a therapist that works in Michigan dealing with childhood depression. This topic is very interesting and how we need to educate people about this topic. I look forward to reading your next post.

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  7. Good post. I never knew that depression was more common in men. You gave great information. I learned something new from this blog post. Good job!

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  8. Great post! So many suffer from depression and no one knows about it. Depression is often viewed as someone who is sad all the time. However, it is most often someone who is just indifferent and withdrawn. Knowing the signs of depression could help an individual to realize someone around them is suffering from it and offer a helping hand. Great job!

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  9. Many people suffer from depression and numerous other mental illnesses that affect us. This post truly pointed out a perspective that many people dont get the opportunity to evaluate. Depression is common and many people suffer from the illness.

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