Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad, but these feelings usually pass within a couple of days. When a person has depression, it interferes with his or her daily life and routine, such as going to work or school, taking care of children, and relationships with family and friends.

Depression causes pain for the person who has it and for those who care about him or her. Depression can be very different in different people or in the same person over time. It is a common but serious illness. Usually, depression is considered a mental disorder, typically affecting the emotional health of the person coping with it. Luckily though, mental health treatment programs are abundant and very helpful when it comes to treating depression. Even those with the most severe depression have found depression relief.

 

Causes

• It can be inherited i.e., the chance of a person having the condition increases considerably if one or more family members have it.
• Environmental factors like the death of a parent can cause a depressive episode.
• Physical illnesses like cancer and heart disease may be followed by depression. There may also be conditions like Parkinson’s disease, whose symptoms include depression.
• Depression can also be a side effect of certain drugs used to treat hypertension.
• Some people have personality traits that make them more susceptible to depression. These people view themselves as losers and have a negative attitude towards them.

 

 Signs & Symptoms

• Ongoing sad, anxious or empty feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Feeling irritable or restless
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies that was once enjoyable, including sex
• Feeling tired all the time
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, or difficulty making decisions
• Not able to go to sleep or stay asleep (insomnia); may wake in the middle of the night, or sleep all the time
• Overeating or loss of appetite
• Thoughts of suicide or making suicide attempts
• Ongoing aches and pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not go away.

 

 Diagnosis

The first thing is to take a detailed and thorough history and rule out the possibility of a physical illness. This may include blood tests to detect anemia or thyroid problems.

 

Treatment

• Drug treatment is the most common method of treatment.
• Antidepressants like Tricyclic antidepresants are helpful in reducing the symptoms.
• Talktherapy and counselling is useful in reducing the futher attacks.