What Actually Depression is | How to Deal with it | Medication | therapy

What Actually Depression is | How to Deal with it.     

           

Depression:   Depression is classified as a serious mood disorder. It may be described as feeling of sadness, loss of interest, or anger that interfere with a person's everyday activities such as sleeping, working,eating, enjoy life and cause behavioral emotional and physical effects .

Different from sadness / Grief:

•   It is important to realize that it is different from mood fluctuations, feeling down is normal part of life. Sad and upsetting events happen to everyone.                                                
•  But when emotions such as hopelessness, worthless and despair taken hold and just won't go away, you may have depression.
• For some people, the death of a loved one can bring on major depression. Losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression for some people. 
• When grief and depression co-exist, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Despite some overlap between grief and depression, they are different. Distinguishing between them can help people get the help, support or treatment they need.

Role Of Neurotransmitter:                                                                                                 The following neurotransmitters play an important role in regulating your mood as well as being involved in many other functions throughout your body:

• Nor-epinephrine: What makes your heart rate and blood pressure sore during a "fight or flight" response or stressful time
• Serotonin: The "feel-good" chemical that helps regulate your mood and plays a role in your overall sense of well-being
• Dopamine: Helps regulate emotion, memory, thinking, motivation, and reward

Researchers are continuing to learn more about what causes these imbalances as well as other neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, GABA, and glutamate, which may also play a role in depression.

Signs and symptoms:  

 Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted—the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression.

1. Feeling sad or having a depressed mood, especially in the morning.                      
2. Reduce interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed.                                                
3. Changes in appetite. 
4. weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting.
5. Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
6. Loss of energy or increased fatigue.
7. Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others).
8. Feeling worthless or guilty.
9. Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions.
10. Thoughts of death or suicide (not just a fear of death).
11. Slowed movement and speech
12. Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions.
13. A loss of sexual desire.

                   

Can Depression Have Physical Symptoms?

   It's not uncommon for people with depression to have physical signs of the condition. They may include join pain, digestive problem, sleep trouble, and appetite changes, You might have slowed speech and movements, too.

  The reason is that brain chemicals linked to depression, specifically serotonin and nor-epinephrine, play a role in both mood and pain.

Difference between Bipolar Disorder and Depression:           Bipolar Disorder also known as manic depression, involves serious shifts in moods, energy, thinking, and behavior. Because it looks so similar to depression when in the low phase, it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. 

This can be a serious problem as taking antidepressants for bipolar depression can actually make the condition worse.

 If you’ve ever gone through phases where you experienced excessive feelings of euphoria, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and impulsive behavior, consider getting evaluated for bipolar disorder.

Tips For Coping With Depression:   Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like a struggle.                                         Battling depression is tough. Thankfully, there are many ways you can fight depression.

  

1. Set Small Goals:          

 Depression can make the simplest tasks seem daunting, so you’re going to have to work on breaking things down into small and concrete tasks. For example, instead of getting stuck thinking ‘how am I going to get to work everyday this week’, think about getting to work today, then break it down even further.

1.     Get out of bed.
2.     Have a shower and shave.
3.     Get dressed.
4.     Eat breakfast.
5.     Head to work.

Each time you complete a step, give yourself credit. Simply getting out of bed when fighting depression is an accomplishment and if that’s all you can do one day, that’s okay. Push yourself but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t keep up to your usual pace.

2. Stop Negative Thoughts:

Being able to recognize when depression is pulling you down is the first step toward recovery. When depressed, all sorts of negative thoughts can get stuck in our heads, so it’s important to be able to keep these in check.

 3. Stay In Touch :

  Don't withdraw from life. Socializing can improve your mood. Keeping in touch with friends and family means you have someone to talk to when you feel low.

  This may mean forging stronger ties with friends or family. Knowing you can count on supportive love ones to help can go a long way toward improving your depression.

4.Try To Eat Healthy food:                                                                                         

   Some people don't feel like eating when they're depressed and are at risk of becoming underweight. Others find comfort in food and can put on excess weight.

Antidepressants can also affect your appetite. 

   If you're concerned about weight loss, weight gain or how antidepressants are affecting your appetite, talk to your GP. 

  There are many brain-essential nutrients that can affect depression. For example, a 2012 study found that zinc deficiency increases symptoms of depression.                                              But before you make any major changes to your diet or begin taking vitamins or supplements, talk with your physician.

5. Give Yourself Credit:

We know how hard it is to fight depression, so we cannot stress this enough –  be proud of any steps and progress you make, even if it takes longer than you hoped.

Recovering from depression takes time. The new habits and skills you learn now will you help throughout your life.

6. Talk To A Therapist:                                                           

  Talking to a therapist about depression is like seeing a physical therapist after a serious leg injury. If you want to get the best advice possible, you need to talk to an expert.

  Remember, therapy isn’t about crying or pointless complaining; it’s about learning what’s underlying your depression, developing new skills for managing the stuff that life tows at us, and working toward improving and enjoying your life. 

When it comes to depression, there is no substitute for seeking professional help – if you’re feeling depressed, connect with a therapist as soon as you can. It’s that straightforward. 

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy
2. Interpersonal therapy
3. Social skills therapy
4. Psycho-dynamic therapy
5. Supportive counseling
6. Behavioral activation
7. Problem-solving therapy

7. Don't Drink To much Alcohol:     For some people, alcohol can become a problem. You may drink more than usual as a way of coping with or hiding your emotions, or just to fill time. But alcohol won't help you solve your problems and could also make you feel more depressed.                                            

8. Get a Handle on Your Household Chores:    Depression can make it difficult to complete household chores, such as doing the dishes or paying bills. 

But a pile of paperwork, ​the stack of dirty dishes, and floor covered in dirty clothes will only magnify your feelings of worthlessness.

Take control of your daily chores. Start small and work on one project at a time. Getting up and moving can help you start to feel better in itself. But, seeing your progress in the home can be key to helping you feel better. 

9. Focus On Basics:   Sleep, food and physical activities – do your best to keep on top of these as they can make a huge impact on your ability to successfully manage depression.

Make sure to think ‘physical activity’ and not ‘exercise’. Going for a short walk, doing household chores, or anything that gets you up and moving counts. Getting outside and into the sun can also help. 

Medications                                                                                       

Especially when used in conjunction with psychotherapy, there are many medications that have been found effective in the treatment of depression. Again, since depression treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it may take some trial and error to find the medication that alleviates your symptoms with the fewest side effects.

The classes of medications commonly prescribed to treat depression include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Including Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Celexa (citalopram), and Luvox (fluvoxamine)
• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): Including Effexor (venlafaxine), Cymbalta (duloxetine), and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): Including Marplan (isocarboxazid), Nardil (phenelzine), and Parnate (tranylcypromine)
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs): Including Elavil (amitriptyline), Tofranil (imipramine), and Pamelor (nortriptyline)
• Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs): Including Wellbutrin (bupropion)
• Esketamine: Spravato

Consult your doctor /pharmacist or therapist before taking any medicine.                                                                                                                                                                        

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