-
Depression----
The Mental Illness
what is
depression
Depression is a mental health disorder
, a psychiatric
condition
，
characterized by
sadness ,loss of interest or pleasure,
feelings of guilt or low self-worth ,disturbed
sleep
or appetite ,feelings of
tiredness , and poor concentration.
Specifically,it is a mood
disorder characterized by persistently low mood in
which
there is a feeling of sadness and
lost of interest.
Depression is different
from the fluctuations in mood that we all
experience as a
part of a normal and
healthy life. Temporary emotional responses to the
challenges of
everyday life do not
constitute depression.
According
to
the
US
Centers
for
Disease
Prevention
and
Control
(CDC),8%
of
people over the age of 12 years has
depression in any two-week period.
The World Health
Organization (WTO)puts depression at the top of
the list -it is the
most common illness
worldwide and the leading cease of organization
estimates that 350 million people
around the world are affected by depression.
Major Depressive disorder
Major
depressive
disorder
(
MDD
),
also
known
simply
as
depression,
is
a
mental
disorder
characterized by at least two weeks of low mood
that is present across most
situations.
It
is
often
accompanied
by
low
self-esteem,
loss
of
interest
in
normally
enjoyable
activities,
low
energy,
and
pain
without
a
clear
may
also
occasionally have false
beliefs or see or hear things that others people
have periods of depression separated by
years in which they are normal while others
nearly
always
have
symptoms
present.
Major
depressive
disorder
can
negatively
affects
a person's
family, work or school
life,
sleeping or eating habits, and general
health. Between 2-7% of adults with
major depression die by suicide, and up to 60%
of people who die by suicide had
depression or another mood disorder.
The
cause
is
believed
to
be
a
combination
of
genetic,
environmental,
and
psychological factors.
Risk factors include a family history of the
condition, major life
changes,
certain
medications,
chronic
health
problems,
and
substance
40% of
the risk appears to be related to genetics .The
diagnosis of major depressive
disorder
is based on the person's reported experiences and
a mental status examination.
There is
no laboratory test
for major
depression. Testing, however, may be done to
rule out physical conditions that can
cause similar depression should
be
differentiated from
sadness
which is
a normal part of
life
and is
less
United States Preventive Services Task
Force
(USPSTF) recommends
screening for
depression
among
those
over
the
age
12,
while
a
prior
Cochrane
review
found
insufficient evidence
for screening.
Typically,
people
are
treated
with
counselling
and
antidepressant
tion appears
to be effective, but the effect may only be
significant
in
the
most
severely
depressed.
It
is
unclear
whether
medications
affect
the
risk
of
suicide.
Types
of
counselling
used
include
cognitive
behavioral
therapy
(CBT)
and
interpersonal
therapy.
If
other
measures
are
not
effective
electroconvulsive
therapy
(ECT) may be tried. Hospitalization may
be necessary in cases with a risk of harm to
self and may occasionally occur against
a person's wishes.
Major
depressive
disorder
affected
approximately
253million
(3.6%)
of
people
in
2013. The percentage of people who are
affected at one point in their life varies from
7% in Japan to 21% in France. Lifetime
rates are higher in the developed world (15%)
compared to the developing world
(11%).It causes the second most
years
lived with
disability after low back
pain. The most common time of onset is in a person
in their
20s
and
30s.
Females
are
affected
about
twice
as
often
as
males.
The
American
Psychiatric
Association
added
depressive
disorder
to
the
Diagnostic
and
Statistical
Manual
of
Mental
Disorders
(DSM-III)
in
1980.
It
was
a
split
of
the
previous
depressive neurosis
in
the DSM-II which also
encompassed the conditions
now
known
as
dysthymia
and
adjustment
disorder
with
depressed
mood.
Those
currently or previously affected may be
stigmatized.
What are the signs and
symptoms of depression?
depression may
be triggered by stressful life events, other
illnesses, certain drugs or
medications,
or
inherited
traits.
although
causes
of
depression
are
not
entirely
understood,
we
know
it
is
linked
to
an
imbalance
in
brain
chemistry.
once
the
imbalance is corrected, symptoms of
depression generally improve
People
with
depressive
illnesses
do
not
all
experience
the
same
symptoms.
The
severity, frequency and duration of
symptoms will vary depending on the individual
and his or her particular illness.
Symptoms include:
Persistent
sad, anxious or
Feelings of
hopelessness and/or pessimism
Feelings
of guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness
Irritability, restlessness
Loss of interest in activities or
hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
Fatigue and decreased energy
Difficulty concentrating, remembering
details and making decisions
Insomnia,
early
–
morning wakefulness,
or excessive sleeping
Overeating, or
appetite loss
Thoughts of suicide,
suicide attempts
Persistent
aches or pains,
headaches,
cramps
or
digestive problems
that do not
ease
even with
treatment
All of these symptoms can
interfere with
your quality of life.
Even if you don
’
t
have major depression , if you have
experience a few of these symptoms for at least
two weeks you may have less severe form
of depression that still requires treatment.
the symptoms of
slight and major depression
Depression
is a medical condition in which a person feels
very sad and anxious and
often
has
physical
depression
could
be
a
portion
of
major
depression, so the criteria for this
disease are important to consider and examine for
people with the problem. If the
depression is only minor, it will not have all of
the
components of major depression and
therefore would be treated differently from the
more
serious
version
of
the
most
common
diagnostic
criteria
are