Depression is intricate with psychological and physical symptoms. A low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent symptom. The common property of these symptoms is a decrease in the level of activity in parts of the brain.
THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
Depression may perform one or more of these symptoms:
-Low mood level or sadness.
-Lack of joy or interest in previously joyful activities
-Pessimism.
-Feel of the fault of something without any actual intent to feel so.
-Inferiority thoughts.
-Irritability.
-Slowness in the thought method.
-Slowness in interpreting sensorial stimuli.
-Slowness of metabolism or other internal physical methods, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example, inflated stomach, constipation, or problems by urination.
-Slow physical effects.
Depression can be a mild illness that causes only a few annoyances in daily life, but can also be very severe and can make a person unable to work and participate in social life. Depression of some severity also increases the risk of suicide.
Depression can occur in all age groups. Adolescents may have symptoms of lack of interest in schoolwork, withdrawal from social life, and difficult mood depression.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT CAUSE SYMPTOMS
With depression, the amount of neurotransmitters in certain parts of the central nervous system is reduced, mainly serotonin deficiency, but to a lesser extent by noradrenaline, acetylcholine, dopamine, or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), or nerve cells. Huh. Not reacting properly by stimulation from neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signaling substance that transmits a neural signal through junctions between two nerve cells.
Serotonin and noradrenalin affect nerve cells to send impulses along with different nerve cells and thus improve activity in the brain. Lack of these substances causes sluggishness in some parts of the brain and it again causes symptoms of depressive disorder.
The performance of GABA is the opposite, particularly to slow down some nerve impulses, principally those causing stress and panic responses. Lack of GABA causes higher stress and easier panic response. Yet, the lack of this transmitter also appears to cause depressive symptoms. This is because too high activity in some brain processes may slow down other processes.
There are multiple causes and subtypes of depression with different physiological mechanisms involved.
KINDS OF DEPRESSION
Depression is often divided into subtypes according to the symptoms displayed.
1. Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorder
By mono-polar depression, there are pure depressive symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do not affect a person's ability to work and participate in social activities are often called dysthymic disorders.
2. Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorder
In this situation, there are times with symptoms of depression – the depressive phase, alternating with periods of high mood level with increased mental and physical activity – the manic phase. In the manic phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and has concentration problems. A mild form of this condition is called cyclothymic disorder.
3. Manic disorder
This situation is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, unreliable optimism, lack of sleep, and hyperactive behavior. Many psychiatrists think that this disorder is a disease similar to a bipolar disorder where the depressed face has not yet occurred.
4. Depression with principally physical symptoms
Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are solitary or predominant, for example, digestive problems, constipation, difficulty urinating, slow response to sensory stimuli, or slow physical reactions.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Two or more factors can have simultaneous effects to cause depression. Depression can be an independent disease or part of other diseases. Depression is also divided into various subtypes according to the cause.
1. Reactive depression
The disease is simply a result of psychological stress, physical struggle, or mental stress of sleeping for long periods without proper rest. Stress will only impair the nervous system or exhaust the organism from the nutrients necessary for the nervous system to function properly.
2. Endogenous depression
When there is no period of stress, tension, or lack of rest that can explain the condition, the condition is often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is considered a part of the cause.
3. Depression by physical disease
Depression or depressive symptoms can be a symptom of physical disease. This is probably the most common cause of depression. Usually, three types of diseases cause depression:
Diseases often associated with depression are heart disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, high blood pressure, or Cushing's syndrome.
Mononucleosis or flu can trigger depression that persists even after the infection has gone away.
Deficiency of the thyroid hormone, hypothyroidism, slows down metabolism throughout the body, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Depression is therefore an important symptom of hypothyroidism.
4. Depressive symptoms as a result of unhealthy lifestyles
A typical unhealthy lifestyle with too little exercise, too many stimulants such as alcohol, coffee, or tea, too few vital nutrients, and too much sugar and fat can give depressive symptoms, as well as physical problems.
5. Postnatal depression
Women often have periods of depression after pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy and birth are physically and mentally exhausting and can deplete the body of nutrients. This, in turn, can cause depressive symptoms.
6. Seasonal affective disorder
Depression can occur in cold and dark times of the year and may go away in hot and mild times. Light stimulates brain activity, and lack of light is a motivating factor.
TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION
Severe or extended depression is usually treated with anti-depressant medication. Medicines used against depression typically boost levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the central nervous system, or they mimic neurotransmitters.
Most commonly used drugs today increase serotonin concentration by decreasing the removal of serotonin from the place around nerve cells. Examples of this drug type are fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sertraline (Zoloft).
In manic facial bipolar disorder, heavy tranquilizers (neuroleptics) are used to prevent manic symptoms. By bipolar disease, lithium salts are sometimes used to maintain the situation and stop a new outbreak of depressive or manic faces.
Psychotherapy is sometimes used for depression, usually in combination with medication.
Sometimes severe depression is treated by an electric shock through the head, electroconvulsive therapy. The shock induces an epileptic burst of nerve signals through the brain and this causes convulsions throughout the body. Applying anesthesia before electroshock reduces or stops the cramps. This form of treatment is contentious because it can affect memory loss and is suspected of causing brain damage. However, most psychiatrists have ruled out the possibility of brain damage.
With seasonal depression, light therapy may be useful.
Lifestyle adjustment should always consider symptoms of depression or depressive disorder. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be sufficient to correct depressive symptoms before severe depression develops. Lifestyle adjustments can be:
– To break down a stressful life with too much work or exercises.
– Enough rest and sleep.
– A healthy diet with enough important nutrients.
– Some physical exercise.
– Meditation.
– Supplement of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, amino acids, and vital fatty acids.
– Stimulants such as coffee or tea can help against depressive feelings in moderate amounts. However, if you are a very frequent user of these stimulants, then you should cut down on your intake.
Nutritional products exist in the market to help against the symptoms of depression. They contain elements that the brain uses as building blocks for neurotransmitters, for example, amino acids and lecithin. They also usually contain vitamins and minerals that the brain uses as a tool to produce neurotransmitters, particularly vitamin B6.
The supplement may further contain herbal extracts that trigger higher brain activity like anti-depressants but may have fewer side effects.
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