Clinical depression is not the same as depression caused by a loss such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or being found to have a serious medical condition.
Also known as major depressive disorder, it is a widespread and comprehensive disorder. It causes symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and cope with everyday activities such as eating, sleeping, and working.
“It is characterized by low mood, loss of pleasure, decreased energy, altered appetite, concentration problems, pathological guilt, psychomotor slowing, inappropriate guilt and suicidal thoughts,” LSU Health reports. said Lochlann McGee, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry.
“To be diagnosed with this disorder, a patient must have five or more of these symptoms for at least two weeks and most of the day.”
There are many different types of depression. Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is often less severe, but can last longer, usually for at least two years.
Perinatal and postpartum depression occurs when a woman experiences severe depression during pregnancy or after giving birth. A high-risk OB at UMC, McGee, a staff member at her clinic, said a woman should be diagnosed and treated if depressive symptoms persist for at least two weeks.
“It’s important to note that this is circumstantial depression,” McGee said. Progesterone agonist medications are indicated for postpartum depression but are ineffective for other depressions. “
It’s called depression and has the same symptoms, but it’s a different condition, McGee said.
Risk factor
Risk factors for depression include family history, major life changes associated with trauma or stress, and certain physical disorders and medications.
Medicines taken for certain disorders, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson disease, can cause side effects that contribute to depression, so it is important for doctors to develop the best treatment strategy. .
Patients may need to try several antidepressants before reaching one that relieves symptoms with minimal side effects. Yes, and symptoms such as sleep, appetite, and concentration problems often improve before feeling better, so people need to give the drugs time to take full effect.
“I can tell you that SSRIs, the class of medicines used for these patients, are not happy medicines.
“My patients sometimes tell me that their skin thickens so that things that previously bothered them and interfered with their lives no longer stick to them. Adjustments may be required.
“If the dose is too high, patients say they feel sluggish. They aren’t happy, they aren’t sad, they just are. Nobody likes this feeling.”
Brain stimulation therapy is most effective for patients with major depressive disorder who do not respond to medication, McGee said. He is also a proponent of electroconvulsive therapy, believing it to be the most effective for severe depression and resulting in remission rates twice as high as his pharmacotherapy.
Other brain stimulation therapies include transcranial magnetic stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation. Other forms of this therapy are currently being investigated. This is because reversing the course of the disease is important for people with suicidal thoughts.
Sidebar: Get in the mood
Beyond medical treatment, including talk therapy, there are other things people with depression can do to feel better.
A simple 30 minute walk a day will boost your mood.
Maintaining a regular routine can help you feel better…maintaining regular bedtimes and wake-up times.
Prioritize your tasks and do what you can, but leave the less important ones alone.
Try to connect with others. An Ohio University study published in January found that helping others accelerated healing and often gave those who were feeling hopeless a sense of purpose.
Postpone important decisions like marriage, divorce, or a career change until you feel better.
Address substance abuse. “Many insomnia and drug use are a bad combination because they carry a risk of suicide,” McGee said. Connections have been severed and it is important to put them back in. People with depression often do not share their burdens and do not seek help.
McGee emphasizes that people with depression are not weak. they have brain damage. MRIs show that the parts of the brain that are lit in most people are “dark” in those with chronic depression.
If you know someone with suicidal thoughts, it’s important to offer help. The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Hotline provides trained crisis counselors anonymously to assist those in need of emergency assistance.
For more information on depression, visit the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. dbsallliance.org.
