Symptoms of depression
Depression can give one or more of these symptoms:
Mood -Low level or
Lack of joy or interest in activities that were of joy before.
-Pessimism.
-Feel From the guilt of something without any substantial reason to feel that way.
-Inferiority Thoughts.
-Irritability.
Process of slow thinking.
Slowness in interpreting sensory stimuli.
Slow digestion or other internal physical processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example inflated stomach, constipation or difficulty urinating.
-Slow Physical reactions.
Depression can be a mild disease that causes some discomfort in everyday life, but also can be very serious and make a person totally unable to work and can not participate in social life. For depression is severe, there is also an increased risk of suicide.
Depression can occur in all age groups. In adolescents have no interest in school work, withdrawal from social life and difficult mood can be signs of depression.
The physiological changes that cause clinical
By depression there is a decrease in the amount of neurotransmitters in the parts of the central nervous system, especially the serotonin deficiency, but also a certain extent of norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine or gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) , or cells do not respond appropriately by stimulation of neurotransmitter nerve. A substance is a neurotransmitter nervous signal transmitted through the joints between two nerve cells signals.
Serotonin and noradrenaline pattern nerve cells to send pulses on other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in the brain. Deficiency of these substances causes slowness in parts of the brain, and again made the depressive symptoms.
The role of GABA is the opposite, ie, to stop some nerve impulses, especially those causing anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and easier panic response. However, the lack of this transmitter also seems to cause depressive symptoms. This is due to excessive activity in brain processes may slow down other process.
There are many causes and subtypes of depression with different physiological mechanisms involved.
Types of depression
Depression is often divided into subtypes based on symptoms presented.
Depression 1. Mono-polar and dysthymia
For monopolar depression there pure depressive symptoms. Mild cases of unipolar disorder that do not affect the ability of people to work and participate in social activities are often called dysthymia.
2. bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorder
In this condition there are periods with symptoms of depression - the depressive phase, alternating with periods of level of elevated mood with increased physical and mental activity - the manic phase. In the manic phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and has concentration difficulties. A mild form of the disease is called cyclothymic disorder.
3. manic
This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and hyperactive behavior. Many psychiatrists think that this disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder has not yet received the depressive side.
4. Depression with mainly physical symptoms
Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are alone or dominant, such as digestive problems, constipation, difficulty urinating, slow to sensory stimuli or slow response of physical reactions.
Causes of Depression
Two or more factors can have an effect simultaneously to cause depression. Depression can be an independent disease, or a part of another disease. Depression is also divided into various subtypes depending on the cause.
1. Reactive depression
This disease is simply the result of psychological stress, physical struggle or mental effort without rest or good sleep over a long period of time. The effort just to make the nervous system or deplete the body of necessary nutrients for the nervous system working properly.
Endogenous depression 2.
When there was no period of stress, straining or lack of rest that can explain the condition, the condition is often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is thought to be part of the cause.
3. Depression by physical disease
Depression or depressive symptoms may be a symptom of a physical illness. This is perhaps the most common cause of depression.
Often associated with depression diseases: heart disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, hypertension or Cushing's syndrome.
Mononucleosis or flu may trigger depression that continues after the infection is gone.
Because of the lack of thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism, the metabolism in the body slows, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore, the depression is a major symptom of hypothyroidism.
4. Depressive symptoms as a consequence of unhealthy lifestyle
An unhealthy lifestyle usually very less exercise, excessive stimulants like alcohol, coffee or tea, too few important nutrients and too much sugar and fat may give depressive symptoms, as well as physical problems.
5. Postpartum Depression
Women often have a period of depression after pregnancy and baby bedding Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally exhausting and can drain the body of nutrients. This in turn may cause depressive symptoms
6. Seasonal affective disorder
Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the year and go away in warm and light periods. Light stimulates brain activity and the lack of light is a causative factor.
Treating Depression
Severe or prolonged depression is often treated with antidepressant drugs. Medicines used against depression generally increase the level of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the central nervous system, neurotransmitters or emulate.
The drugs used today primarily to increase the concentration of serotonin decreased to remove serotonin from the space around nerve cells. Examples of these drugs are fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa) sentraline (Zoloft).
For bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy tranquilizers (neuroleptics) are used to stop the manic symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are sometimes used to stabilize the condition and prevent further outbreaks of depressive or manic faces.
Psychotherapy is sometimes used by depression, usually in combination with drugs.
Sometimes, the major depression is treated by applying an electric shock through the head, ECT. The shock induces epileptic eruption of nerve signals in the brain, which gives cramps throughout the body. The cramps are alleviated or stopped by applying anesthesia before the electroshock. This form of treatment is controversial because it can cause memory loss and is suspected of causing brain damage. The possibility of brain damage is however denied by most psychiatrists.
By seasonal depression, light therapy may be helpful.
Lifestyle adjustment should always be considered by depression or depressive symptoms. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be enough to cure depressive symptoms before developing a severe depression. Lifestyle adjustments can be:
- To slow down a stressful life with too much work or activities.
- Enough rest and sleep.
- A good diet with enough nutrients.
- A little exercise.
- Meditation.
- Vitamin Supplement, minerals, antioxidants, the lecithin, amino acids and essential fatty acids.
- Stimulants like coffee or tea may help against depressive feelings in moderate amounts. However, if you are a heavy user of these stimulants, you should cut.
There nutritional products in the marked to help against depressive symptoms. These brains contain ingredients used as building blocks for neurotransmitters, for example, amino acids and lecithin. They also often contain vitamins and minerals that the brain uses as tools to produce neurotransmitters, especially vitamin B6.
Supplements may further contain herbal extracts that trigger brain activity not much like anti-depressive medications, but may have fewer side effects.
