Medical Advisor Online: Depression Symptoms And Treatment

What is depression?

Everyone has spells of feeling down, but depression is more than just spending a few days feeling sad or unhappy. Depression can make you feel persistently sad and down for weeks or months at a time.

Common symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness or unhappiness

• Irritability or frustration, even over small matters

• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities

• Insomnia or excessive sleeping

• Changes in appetite

• Agitation or restlessness

• Irritability or angry outbursts

• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

Depression affects every person in a different manner so the symptoms may vary from one person to another. Inherited traits, age, gender and family back ground play a major role in how depression may affect.

Causes of depression:

The exact cause of depression is not known. With much mental illness, it seems that a variety of factors may be involved. These may include:

• Neurotransmitters: These are naturally occurring brain chemicals which are linked to mood. They are thought to play a direct role in depression.

• Hormones: Imbalance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering depression. Hormone changes can result from conditions such as thyroid problems, menopause or a number of other conditions.

• Inherited traits: Depression is more common in people whose biological family members also have this condition. Researchers are trying to find out the genes that may be involved in causing depression.

• Life events: Various life events, such as the death or loss of a loved one, financial problems, and high stress, can trigger depression in some people. 

• Early childhood trauma: Traumatic events during childhood, such as abuse or loss of a parent, may cause permanent changes in the brain that make the person more susceptible to depression.

Treatment of depression:

There are many treatment options available to manage depression. Treatment such as medication and psychological counseling are very effective for most of the people.

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