Depression, Causes and it's Symptoms

What is Depression?

          Major depressive disorder, generally known as depression, is a serious medical condition that frequently affects a person's feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Fortunately, it can also be treated. Depression is characterized by sadness and/or a loss of interest in previous pastimes. 

It can affect your performance at work and at home and lead to a variety of mental and physical problems. 

Depression is a prevalent mental illness. According to estimates, the condition affects 5% of adults worldwide. Persistent sorrow and a lack of interest in formerly fulfilling or joyful activities are its defining traits. It can also disturb sleep and appetite. Tiredness and poor concentration are common. 

The largest cause of disability in the world today is depression, which also significantly increases the burden of sickness on the planet. A person's capacity to function and lead a fulfilling life can be significantly affected by the consequences of depression, which can be long-lasting or recurrent (WHO).

          Your emotions, thoughts, feelings, habits, and physical health are all impacted by depression. Those who suffer from severe depression may find it difficult to enjoy the things they used to like. Even your closest friends and family members may notice your social withdrawal as a result.

Depression Is Different From Sadness or Grief/Bereavement

The loss of a loved one, the termination of a job, or the dissolution of a relationship is all trying events for a person to go through. People frequently experience sadness or grief in response to such situations. When someone or something is lost, they typically describe themselves as "depressed."

Nevertheless, being sad is not the same as being depressed. Each person's mourning process is unique, normal, and has certain traits in common with depression. Both depression and losing a loved one can result in profound sadness and a withdrawal from normal activity. They also differ in a number of significant ways, including:

While someone is grieving, unpleasant emotions frequently come in waves and are blended with pleasant recollections of the deceased. With severe depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are lowered during the bulk of the first two weeks. Self-esteem is typically preserved during grief. With severe depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-hatred are frequent.

When a person is grieving, they may fantasize about "joining" their deceased loved one or have thoughts about death. Due to feelings of worthlessness, deservingness of life, or inability to handle the pain of melancholy, thoughts of suicide are common in serious depression.

Depression and grief may coexist. Some people get depression as a result of a loved one dying, losing their job, suffering physical abuse, or going through a significant catastrophe. If grief coexists with depression it is more severe longer than grief without depression.

It's crucial to distinguish between grief and depression because doing so can help people get the support, care, and treatment they require.

 Causes of Depression

          One of the reasons of depression is the intricate interplay between social, psychological, and biological factors. Childhood hardship, loss, and unemployment are all factors that might contribute to and even spark the onset of depression. Depression can have many different causes.

 It has a wide range of causes and multiple triggers. An upsetting or stressful life event, such as a death in the family, a divorce, an illness, a layoff, or concerns about one's job or finances, may be the culprit for some people.

Many factors typically combine to cause depression. For instance, you can experience depression after being ill and then suffer a traumatic event, such as losing a loved one.

Individuals frequently discuss a "downward cycle" of circumstances that results in depression. For instance, if your relationship with your partner fails, you may feel depressed, stop seeing your friends and family, and begin drinking more. All of these may worsen your symptoms and lead to sadness.

However, some researches have indicated that depression is more prevalent in older persons and in those who experience challenging social and economic conditions.

 

Here are some main causes of Depression:

• Stressful events

The majority of people take some time to get used to catastrophic events like losing a loved one or ending a relationship. When these stressful situations arise, cutting off contact with friends and family and attempting to solve your problems alone increases your risk of developing depression.

• Personality

If you have certain personality qualities, such as poor self-esteem or excessive self-criticism, you may be more prone to depression. Your parents' DNA, your early experiences, or combination of these factors may be to fault for this.

• Family history

If your father, sister, or brother, or another member of your family has struggled with depression in the past, your chances of developing it are increased.

• Giving birth

After giving birth, some women are especially susceptible to depression. Postnatal depression may result from the hormonal and physical changes, as well as the extra burden of a new life.

• Loneliness

Your chance of developing depression may increase if you experience feelings of isolation brought on by things like discontinuing contact with friends and relatives.

• Alcohol and drugs

When things get tough, some people utilize excessive drinking or drug usage as a coping method. This may cause depression to worsen.

Marijuana can help you relax, but there is evidence that it can also make depression worse, especially in young people.

Using alcohol to "drown your sorrows" is likewise not advised. Drinking alters brain chemistry, which raises the danger of depression.

• Illness

If you suffer from a chronic or life-threatening ailment, such as cancer or coronary heart disease, you may be more likely to experience depression.

Depression is frequently under diagnosed as being caused by head injuries. A severe brain injury may result in emotional problems and mood swings.

Some people may experience immune system issues that lead to hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid. Rarely, a mild head injury can harm the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain that generates hormones that stimulate the thyroid.

Symptoms of Depression

This can result in a variety of symptoms, including acute exhaustion and a loss of libido (loss of desire in sex), which can then create sadness.

There are medication-based and psychological therapies for depression. Yet, depression treatment and support services are frequently lacking or undeveloped in low- and middle-income nations. More than 75% of those in these nations who have mental illnesses are thought to not be receiving treatment.

The following are some mild to severe signs of depression:

• Sadness or a depressed mood
• Lack of interest or enjoyment in things once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite
• Unconnected weight loss or gain
• Lack of energy or increased exhaustion

·        • An increase in motion that has no purpose (such as pacing, hand-wringing, or an inability to sit still etc.)

•           Delayed motions or speech
•              A sense of worthlessness or guilt
•         Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
•         Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression must be diagnosed if the symptoms last for at least two weeks and alter from your pre-existing level of functioning.

Also, it's important to rule out any underlying medical conditions because some medical conditions (including thyroid problems, brain tumors, or vitamin shortages) might resemble the symptoms of depression.

 One in 15 adults (6.7%) are thought to experience depression each year. Moreover, depression will affect 16.6% of people at some point in their lives. Depression often first shows signs in late adolescence to mid-life, while it can happen at any time. Women experience depression more than men. 

One-third of women will experience a severe depressive episode at some point in their life, according to some studies. There is a high degree (approximately 40%) of heredity when first-degree relatives (parents, kids, or siblings) also have depression.