Depression is defined as one of the mood disorders. It can affect our mood and emotions causing feelings of sadness, laziness, anger, or loss. It is a very serious condition in almost every country. It is the leading cause of suicides in most Asian countries.
Adults are more likely to be the victims of it and its consequences. Almost 18.5 percent of American adults deal with it.
Depressive disorder is different from grief in several ways. Grief only involves the pain, and feeling of sadness after losing a close one, while depression causes the loss of self-love and self-esteem. A victim feels lost and doesn’t find any reason to live.
Depressed people are always sad and deal with several disorders including anxiety and stress. It can affect our daily life activities in a very dangerous way.
Effects on health
⦁ Arthritis
⦁ Obesity
⦁ Cancer
⦁ Asthma
⦁ Cardiovascular disorder
⦁ Diabetes
It is considered a serious mental illness, and the victims require proper love, care, attention, and a consultant.
Symptoms
Everyone dealing with depression has different symptoms and their effects. Symptoms of this disease varies from person to person. Here are some signs and symptoms of it:
⦁ Feeling empty or sad
⦁ Crying
⦁ Loss of interest in anything
⦁ Loss of interest in life
⦁ Low self-esteem
⦁ Fatigued
⦁ Always zoned out
⦁ Doing any activity slowly
⦁ Chronic physical pain
⦁ Appetite loss
⦁ Though of death or suicide
As soon as someone observes such symptoms, it is vital to see a consultant to discuss the problem.
Causes
Several factors can trigger or cause depressive disorder. These causes can be biological or situational. Some common causes include
⦁ Brain changes
There is a special part of the brain that controls emotions such as anger, pain, love, sleep, or appetite. When there is a chemical imbalance in the brain, it can also trigger a change in mood causing depression.
⦁ Any kind of trauma, especially early childhood trauma can affect the brain very badly. It is the primary cause of depression in numerous people.
⦁ Hormonal imbalance
Imbalance or change in the hormones can cause depression, such as a hormonal change in females during different periods of their life like the menstrual cycle, menopause, or perimenopause can affect the mood.
⦁ Family history of depressive disorder
Family history related to any condition can trigger that condition in the new generation. If the family has a depression problem, there is a high chance that the children will get that condition from their elders.
⦁ Medical conditions
Any kind of deadly medical condition can trigger the cause of depression, and a victim can lose any hope to live during that period of condition.
Risk Factors
There are several risk factors linked to depression that can trigger it even more. The factors may include medical, social, precise, or genetic risks. Common risk includes
⦁ Financial problems or a complex of inferiority can increase the risk of depression
⦁ Research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is somehow responsible for an increased rate of depression
⦁ The use of alcohol or drugs can also cause depression.
⦁ Transgenders experience more risk of depressive disorder.
Treatments
Nowadays, there are a lot of strategies and treatments that can help you deal with your depression. Some treatments are:
⦁ Medical treatments
Several medical treatments have been developed to reduce the ratio of depression victims These treatments include serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine uptake inhibitors, tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, and many more.
⦁ Psychotherapy
Talking to a therapist can help the victims get rid of all their worries and tensions. Depressants usually need a good listener who can listen to all their problems. The psychic therapist plays a great role in this regard.
⦁ Light therapy
Exposure to white light imparts a very positive effect on your mood. It can relax you and reduce all the negative thoughts in your mind. Light therapy is most commonly used in Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Conclusion
Depression is one of the prominent causes of death among teenagers. Any situation nor trauma can trigger it. However, along with medical treatments, some lifestyle changes can improve it. So, it is important to visit a consultant and involve several life-changing habits to reduce the chances of this disease.