 | What is Depression?
Clinical or major depression is a serious medical illness that persistently interferes with an individual’s normal daily functioning by adversely affecting thoughts, moods, behaviour, and physical health.
Unlike regular emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, depression is a constant and persistent feeling of despair, being “sad for no reason”, and lacking the motivation to do anything.
What Causes Depression?
There is no specific single cause of depression. Often it results from a combination of elements that is more than just a state of mind. Depression is linked to physical changes and imbalances in the brain. Other factors that play a role in depression include:
- Family history and genetics
- Trauma and stress from major life changes.
- Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, HIV, and arthritis can contribute to depression because of the physical weakness and stress they impart.
- Psychological disorders such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and substance abuse often appear along with depression.
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Who Does it Affect?Depression affects people of all ages, geographic locations, demographics and social positions. The lives of nearly 15 million North Americans are disrupted by its crippling effects annually. Millions more go undiagnosed and untreated.
Serious depression can destroy family life, social life, and even careers, as people struggle to cope and understand the ravages of the disease as it interferes with normal daily functioning. Many people don’t understand why their loved one can’t simply pull out of their “mood” and get over it.
What are the Symptoms?Common symptoms of depression include:
- Crying or getting angry or upset for no reason
- Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair
- General feelings of being irritable, lazy, apathetic, and unmotivated
- Low energy level and constant feeling of fatigue
- Feeling worthless or guilty about things that weren’t your fault
- Loss of appetite and /or disturbed sleeping patterns
- Thoughts of self harm and /or suicide
- Having trouble concentrating, forgetting things
- Losing interest in things that you used to enjoy
- Cutting off from your friends and family
What are the Major Misconceptions about Depression?Many people don’t understand or just simply believe that the emotional symptoms caused by depression are “not real,” and that a person should be able to shake off the symptoms if they try hard enough.
Because of these inaccurate beliefs, people with depression either many not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment because of feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated depression leads to suicide.
Other Statistics - Depression has a significant impact on the economy, costing an estimated billion a year from lowered work productivity, absenteeism and medical care
- One out of five women and out of 15 men will battle major depression within their life
- If major depression strikes, there is a 50% chance you'll have a recurrence of depression at least once or twice a year.
- Depression can hide itself behind physical illness such as chronic pain or fatigue, making some cases difficult to diagnose.
- Although less common, people with severe depressive episodes have been known to suffer from delusions, hallucinations and depressive stupor.
- Without treatment, major depression may linger for 6 months to a year, with increased frequency and severity. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide.
- Depression, once diagnosed, is a highly treatable illness. Between 89 and 90 percent of those diagnosed with major depression can be effectively treated and return to their usual daily activities and feelings.
Are there other disorders related to depression?Dysthymia: A mood disorder where people feel mildy depressed for a period of at least two years. Symptoms resemble those of major depression but with less severity.
Seasonal Affective Disorder: SAD is a mood disorder with symptoms similar to any major depressive episode. Its recurrence of the symptoms during the winter months is the hallmark of this type of depression.
Postpartum Depression: Depression that can occur in women who have recently given birth. Different from the “Baby Blues” that can occur the first few days after giving birth but resolves spontaneously, Postpartum depression typically occurs within the first few months after delivery. The effects interfere with the mother’s ability to bond with her newborn, along with mirroring symptoms of any major depressive episode.
Bipolar Disorder: A mood disorder different than major depressive disorder, and with different treatments. It is a category of mood disorders featuring mania and depression. The disorder is subdivided based on the type and severity of mood episodes experienced.
