Feeling sad sometimes is quite normal. But if your sadness or grief is getting prolonged then you should think about your mental state. You might be dealing with depression, a common mental illness that negatively affects thoughts, emotions, perceptions as well as behavior. However, depression can be effectively treated and the person can experience relief from mental pain. If you want to know more about what depression is and what the impact of depression on daily life then read this article thoroughly. Moreover, you will also get familiar with the treatment and preventive strategies for depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is a common but serious mental health disorder. There are different names of depression such as major depressive disorder and clinical depression. This mental illness is also recognized as one of the major types of mood disorder as it severely affects the mood of a person. In addition, depressed individuals are unable to think and behave properly. They do not have control over their thoughts Moreover, they also experience undesired mood swings that disrupt their quality of life. They think that they lack all the capabilities that are essential to live a happy life. They consider themselves worthless and face difficulty in living a normal and happier life.
What are the types of Depression?
There are different types of depression but the most common ones are as follows:
Major Depression
This involves a prolonged period of sadness. Affected individuals face difficulty in paying attention to their essential life activities. Moreover, they feel reduced interest in different activities and therefore prefer to stay alone. Likewise, if the symptoms get severe then they also experience certain intrusive thoughts that badly affect their mental stability.
Persistent depressive disorder
As the name indicates, this type of depression is more persistent as compared to other types. If the person has been experiencing the symptoms of depression for about two years or more, then there is a greater possibility of the occurrence of persistent depressive disorder. However, the symptoms of this type of depression are less severe than major or clinical depression.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is also a mental illness and is also renowned as manic depression. Individuals suffering from bipolar disorder are unable to regulate their mood alteration. At one time, they feel extremely high energy levels while at the other time, they feel extremely sad and have low energy levels.
Perinatal depression
This type of depression occurs in females during their pregnancy stages and after they give birth to a child. If the depression symptoms appear during the pregnancy then it is referred to as the perinatal depression. However, if depression occurs after childbirth then it is specifically named postpartum depression. Both types of depression can affect the mental state of female and also their loved ones who have direct interaction with them.
Seasonal depression
Seasonal depression is the type of depression that specifically develops during certain seasons. Most people feel depressed during the winters and their mental happiness comes when the cold season ends and spring or summer starts.
Psychotic depression
Psychosis is a severe type of depression as the affected individual experiences psychotic symptoms which include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking as well as behavioral patterns. Moreover, affected individuals are unable to accept reality as they live in their thoughts or imaginary worlds.
Who gets Depression?
There is a strong impact of depression on the daily life of each individual. Depression is not restricted to any gender, age, race, or any other factor. It can affect all individuals including children, adolescents as well as adults. Moreover, the symptoms of this depressive illness are more pronounced in females as compared to males. Although males get depressed, they usually hide their emotions. While women on the other hand exhibit anger outbursts and emotional intensity more than usual. So depression in females is more evident while in males, it remains undiagnosed or underdiagnosed.
Likewise, children are more susceptible to suffering from depression. They face more difficulty in handling their life due to the symptoms of depression and therefore exhibit more negative responses as compared to adults.
What are the common symptoms of Depression?
Just like every other mental illness, depression also involves the occurrence of symptoms that affect not only the mood but also the behavior. Various recent studies have reported the significant impact of depression on daily life. If your sadness is getting prolonged then you might experience the following common symptoms:
- Anger intensity
- Feelings of restlessness
- Irritable behavior
- Continued period of sadness
- Reduced energy levels
- Inattentiveness
- Sense of hopelessness
- Feelings of emptiness
- Fatigue
- Loss of interest in activities
- Reduced engagement in social activities
- Difficulty in the sleep
- Low motivation
- Headache
- Body ache
- Loss of appetite
- Speech issues
- Reduced sexual desire
- Self-harming or suicidal thoughts
- Increased impulsivity
- Elevated intake of alcohol or drugs
How to diagnose the Depression?
Before getting professional support, each individual should self-evaluate their mental state. Sleep issues, lack of focus and concentration, eating abnormalities, and emotional highs are the common indicators of depression. However, only professionals can better evaluate the symptoms and confirm the presence of depression. They ask different questions from the patients and then make their plan to treat or prevent the impact of depression on daily life.
What are the risk factors of Depression?
Different factors can cause the development of depression. Some common causes of depression are as follows:
Genetic factors
Depression tends to run in families. Genes that can cause the onset of depression symptoms can transfer from parent to child. Likewise, if any of your siblings have depression then there is a greater possibility that you will also suffer from depression.
Environmental factors
Different environmental stressors can also cause the development of depression. For example, the sudden personal or financial loss can make the person depressed. Likewise, childhood abuse, sexual abuse, or any other accident can cause the onset of depression symptoms.
Substance abuse
Drug addicts or any other substance abusers are also more prone to suffer from depression as compared to these individuals who avoid the intake of alcohol or any other harmful drugs.
How does Depression affect the lifestyle?
Depression not only disrupts mental stability but also affects each aspect of life including personal and professional life. Affected individuals have to struggle more as compared to normal individuals but with the help of effective treatment or therapeutic strategies, they can recover.
Focus or Concentration issues
Depression alters the normal mental state of individuals. They lose their ability to pay attention to their important life details. Children suffering from depression are unable to listen to the important instructions of the teachers and also face difficulty in learning. Likewise, adults also forget the details of their important meetings and are unable to meet the deadlines.
Disturbed sleeping patterns
Depression also affects the quality of sleep. Affected individuals also experience insomnia or hypersomnia that not only affects their mood but also their productivity. Individuals suffering from insomnia face difficulty in falling or staying asleep. They feel more dizzy and tired during the daytime and face focusing issues. Likewise, individuals suffering from hypersomnia spend their extra time in sleep and do not contribute to healthy or productive activities.
Eating abnormalities
The prolonged stress can also lead to the development of common eating disorders which include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa binge eating disorder, etc. Some individuals eat more food when they get depressed while some avoid paying attention to their diet and experience multiple physical and physiological issues.
Negative impact on relationships
Depressed individuals do not effectively communicate with their loved ones. They feel hesitant to share their inner feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Instead of talking with them, they prefer to stay alone. Due to their aggressive or rude behavior, their loved ones feel that they are moving away from them and therefore face difficulty in making and regulating their bonds with their loved ones.
Difficulty in decision-making
Depression also affects the decision-making power of individuals. They feel extra tense even when making simple decisions in their life. Some individuals also experience brain fog that makes their brain dull and they feel foggy in their thoughts and emotions. This also affects their productivity in each field of their life.
Sexual life issues
Depression can also affect the sexual life of individuals. Stress restricts individuals from fulfilling the sexual desires of their partners. Their frustration keeps their partner away from them and they face difficulty in connecting with their partner on an intimate level.
How is Depression treated?
Although depression is a severe mental illness, fortunately, it is treatable. If the depression symptoms are not treated on time, then they can get worse and impart more negative effects. Experts commonly treat depression with different psychiatric medications and psychotherapies. Some experts prefer the use of psychiatric medication only while some are in favor of a combination of the two. If psychiatric medications do not provide the desired results then psychotherapies are recommended. Following medications and talk therapies are recommended by experts to overcome the symptoms of depression.
Psychiatric medications
Medications are the best way to manage the symptoms of mental illnesses. The experts recommend antidepressants to suppress the depression symptoms. They specifically reduce the level of those neurotransmitters that activate the stress response. They only cause the release of soothing or happy hormones that ultimately diminish the depression symptoms. The experts recommend the following antidepressants:
- Sertraline
- Nortriptyline
- Doxepin
- Fluoxetine
- SSRIs
So whenever you feel that you are having any symptoms of depression then immediately communicate with the expert to get the best psychiatric recommendations and prevent the impact of depression on daily life. However, remember that do not take the antidepressants without the expert’s suggestions. They not only recommend the appropriate antidepressants but also guide how you can manage your medication routine and experience a depression-free life.
Psychotherapies
Psychotherapies or talk therapies are considered the most reliable and significant therapies to treat depression and other common mental illnesses. During the talk therapy sessions, cognitive behavioral experts directly interact with the depressed persons. They provide a secure and serene environment where each affected individual feels relaxed and shares all their mental health issues without any fear of embarrassment or judgment. Experts first perform a psychological evaluation and then determine the previous medical and family history. Then based on the mental condition, they develop a therapeutic plan to treat the depression. Moreover, they also teach individuals different skills that how they can cope with depression symptoms and live a depression-free life.
Brain stimulation therapy
Brain stimulation therapy is used to treat the severe form of depression. In most of the cases, individuals suffering from the depression also experience the symptoms of psychosis. In this therapy, electric impulses are applied to the brain which affects the different areas of the brain. Some common brain stimulation therapies include transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, and vagus nerve stimulation.
What are the preventive strategies for Depression?
Other than therapeutic strategies, there are some self-care strategies that you can use to prevent the onset of the symptoms of depression.
Regular exercise
Make a habit to perform any regular exercise or workout. Different studies have reported the fact that physical activity can cause the release of serotonin which improves mood and behavior. Therefore, individuals should make a plan of performing daily exercise to prevent depression.
Adequate diet
Your diet also plays an important role in regulating your mood. Therefore, make sure to add nutritious food products to your diet such as protein, carbohydrates, and essential facts. Moreover, also eat fresh fruits and vegetables to take charge of your mental health and overcome your mood alterations.
Regulated sleep-wake cycle
If you want to stay mentally active and healthy then also focus on your sleep. Make a habit of waking up early and moving to bed on time. Limit your screen time and perform any healthy activity before going to bed so you experience a good quality of sleep.
Mindfulness techniques
There are also different mindfulness techniques that you can employ to make your mind and soul active. Yoga, deep breathing exercises, and making a gratitude list are some of the best ways to relax the soul and mind.
How Can I Find Help for Depression?
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression then get the best professional support. Brainpower Wellness Institute is the leading platform that offers the best treatment and support for depression and other common mental illnesses. Our mental health experts provide the desired mental health assistance to individuals grappling with depression so they get rid of their depression and experience mental wellness by avoiding the negative impact of depression on daily life.
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