Depression - Literature review Example

Depression

Introduction

According to Lam (2012), depression refers to a condition of mental health that is associated with the increased feeling of anxiety, isolation, sadness, and despair. Depression has a negative impact on how the victim feels, thinks, and functions, for example, it makes one vulnerable to suicidal thoughts. Therefore, depression has significant negative impacts on the way that an individual lives his or her daily life. According to NIMH reports, it is estimated that approximately 16.1 million adults in the US were experiencing depressive episodes or showed the signs and symptoms of depression in the year 2015 (NIMH, 2016). This accounts for 6.7% of the overall adult American population. Despite this, depression is common and affects individuals of all ages and gender; however, the female gender reports twice as many cases of depression as compared to men. Reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that women who fall between the ages of 40 and 59 years are the most vulnerable to depression.

Types of depression

Bipolar disorder: According to Tiet (2016), bipolar disorder refers to the type of depression that is associated with changes in mood, thinking, energy, and behavior change in an individual. Bipolar disorder includes behavioral or mood swings from the mania of the extreme to low depression on the other end. The depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder can last for months, weeks, or days. The mood swings that are associated with bipolar disorder are highly intense that it can cause serious alterations on the normal functionality of the victim. Mania episodes are characterized by impulsivity that can lead one to quit his job. It makes one feel too tired to get out of bed even after long hours of sleep. Besides, it brings about feelings of despair and hopelessness.

Dysthymia or persistent depressive disorder: this type of depression affects the victim for two years (Tiet, 2016). This type of depression makes the victim experience episodes of major depression that also consists of periods that are marked with symptoms that are less severe.

Perinatal depression: this is a mild type of depression that is marked with regular symptoms of anxiety that occur for two weeks (NIMH, 2016). It affects women for the first few weeks after delivery, and hence, the name baby blues. During pregnancy, women can also experience perinatal depression which is marked with full-blown major depression, and this extends to after delivery in what is referred to as postpartum depression. The major signs and symptoms of perinatal depression include anxiety, sadness, and exhaustion that are associated with the protracted period of pregnancy.

Psychotic depression: this is a type of depression that comes as a result of severe depression that is manifested in psychosis form, for example, experiencing delusions, where one has false and disturbing beliefs, for instance, experiencing delusions of poverty, guilt, or illness (Wasserman, 2011). It is also characterized by episodes of hallucination, where the victim see or hear upsetting things that other individuals cannot see.

Seasonal affective disorder: This category of depression comes with seasonal changes in the weather conditions, for instance, at the beginning of winter season, individuals in very cold areas experience depression that is exhibited in weight gain or increased sleep.

Signs and Symptoms

There are several signs and symptoms of depression. Not every victim of depression experiences all the listed symptoms of depression; however, the existence of numerous and persistent symptoms of changes in the mood should trigger the examination for depression (Sarokhani, Delpisheh, Veisani, Sarokhani, Manesh, & Sayehmiri, 2013). The frequency or severity of the symptoms of depression also vary from victim to victim, and they are listed below:

• Anxiety
• Persistent feeling of sadness
• A prolonged feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
• Easy irritability
• Guilt
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Incessant fatigue
• Slowed speaking
• Restlessness

x. Poor concentration

xi. Loss of memory

xii. Loss of appetite in food

xiii. Loss or gain of weight

xiv. Insomnia or too much sleepiness

xv. Headaches, cramps, joint pains.

Causes of depression

According to Wasserman (2011), clinicians are not clear on the specific causes of depression; however, scientist argues that depression is as a result of an imbalance that exists in the signaling chemicals in the brains. Apart from the chemical imbalance inside the brain, depression has been associated with the difficult and distressful circumstances of life, for example, the loss of a loved one, loss of employment, divorce, or financial problems. Medical conditions such as cancer, underactive thyroid gland, protracted pain, and heart diseases can also cause depression. Besides, the excessive use of sedatives such as medications of high blood pressure and sleeping peels can cause depression.

Depression is also caused by a mixture of environmental, biological, and genetic factors. For example, the neurotransmitters, which are signaling chemicals that are found in the brain play a significant role in depression. The occurrence of changes in the function, effects, and the interaction between this chemical and the neurocircuits that maintain and stabilizes the mood of individuals, may result into episodes of depression (Lam, 2012). The changes that take place in the hormonal balance in the body is a major cause of depression. These changes are associated with thyroid problems or menopause among women. Finally, among children, depression is also inherited from parents or family members who suffer from depression.

Risk Factors associated with depression

Recent research studies show that depression is a common disease that can affect an individual at any age. Depression comes along with chronic medical illnesses including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease (Schwartz & Petersen, 2009). In addition, some of the medications used in the treatment of depression come along with serious side effects.

Diagnosis of depression

A clinical practitioner can diagnose depression by asking the patient about the health history of the family. This is important as it enables the clinical practitioner to identify whether the patient inherited the condition from a relative in the family tree (Schwartz & Petersen, 2009). Depression can also be diagnosed by asking the patient about his or her mood swing, behavioral, and thinking patterns. This type of diagnosis helps the clinical practitioner to identify the existence of the signs and symptoms of depression. For one to be considered to be suffering from the major depressive disorder, the victim must exhibit at least five symptoms of depression for a period not less than two weeks. Besides, it must be established that the symptoms are not caused by medical conditions such as thyroid malfunctions.

Treatment and therapies for depression

Depression is a condition that can be treated with psychotherapy and medications.

Medications

This includes the use of anti-depressants. Anti-depressants are vital in the treatment of depression that is caused by chemical imbalance in the brain as they enhance the manner in which the brain makes use of chemicals such as neurotransmitters (Wasserman, 2011). The use of anti-depressants requires at least two weeks to be effective. Medication helps in the elimination of symptoms such as loss of appetite, sleep, and poor concentration before enhancing the mood of the patient.

Psychotherapies

Psychotherapy is also referred to as counseling. There are various types of psychotherapy that can be applied in the treatment of a patient with depressive symptoms. One of the psychotherapies is the cognitive-behavioral therapy (Lam, 2012). This is an evidence-based that is aimed at treating depression by changing the harmful thinking patterns, attitudes, and beliefs to regulate the emotions of the patient.

The second type of psychotherapy is known as the problem-solving therapy. In this form of psychotherapy, the counselor aims at treating the patient by improving his coping ability to overcome the distressing life he or she is going through. Helping a patient to overcome the challenges enhances the psychological and physical well-being of the patient.

Conclusion

In summary, Depression is a mental health condition that affects the majority of Americans. It is a condition that affects individuals of all ages. The elderly women who are aged between 40 and 59 years are the most vulnerable. There are various types of depression, for example, Dysthymia depression, perinatal depression, psychotic depression, and the bipolar disorder. Despite the different types of depression, the signs and symptoms are similar. Some of the major signs and symptoms of depression are Anxiety persistent feeling of sadness, a prolonged feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, easy irritability, Guilt, and Insomnia or too much sleepiness. Depression is also caused by a mixture of environmental, biological, and genetic factors. For example, some cases of depression are inherited from relatives. Depression comes along with chronic medical illnesses including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. Depression can be diagnosed by asking the patient about the health history of the family. Depression can also be diagnosed by asking the patient about his or her mood swing, behavioral, and thinking patterns. Finally, depression can be treated with medication using anti-depressants and through psychotherapies such as problem-solving therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.