Depression: Symptoms, Types, Causes, & Treatment.

After all, what is depression? Is it our sadness or upset? I ask you a question. When we cannot find the answer to a question or fall into trouble. But at the same moment, when we get the solution to our problem. Or we get out of that trouble. So our sadness or frustration disappears automatically.  So is it called dipression? 

 

 

I know you think that. After all, what kind of disease is depression. which goes away on its own within 2 days without any treatment?  And here the biggest twist comes in the story. Because depression which we consider a disease is just a downfall of our thoughts and not a disease. So here is the entry of two types of depression about which we are always confused. One is clinical depression and the other is feeling depression.

 

All of us are often sad or in a bad mood. So we feel depressed. But depression is more than being sad or feeling down. That’s why we are always confused about clinical depression and feeling depressed.  While there is a difference in land and sky between these two. So before knowing about depression. Why don’t we know some facts about it?  Which is published by the National Institute of Mental Health. How it is taking the form of a terrible epidemic.

 

First, According to a report on the global burden of disease. The burden of depression is increasing in proportion to other diseases by 5.7 percent.

 

Second, its prevalence in India has increased from 7.9 to 8.9 per thousand population as compared to other diseases. In the same urban areas, it is increasing at twice the speed.

 

Third, this study also found that. Women are more prone to depression than men. And among these older women come in the most vulnerable group. It has not spared even small children. So now we will discuss what is depression? 

 

What is depression? 

 

Depression is a mood disorder. In which our ability to think, feel, and even our daily activities, such as sleeping, eating and drinking, and working are affected.

 

Inside depression, you either become hyper-emotional or become a victim of emotional numbness. This means that you will become so emotional about anything, that your logical ability will end. Either there will be no emotion left in you. The neuro system of your brain will become so weak. Due to this, the communication gap between your reasoning brain and emotional brain will start increasing.  And because of this, your decision-making ability will start decreasing.

 

Gradually our sense organs will stop working properly. Because of the neuro path that connects our brain and sense organs.  Depression damages it. For example, when we eat some food, we will not know its taste. Any incident will happen in front of us, our brain will stop reacting to it. Whatever we hear, our brain will stop acting on it. And all these are proof of a person being depressed.

 

Difference between clinical depression and feeling depressed. 

 

But we fall prey to confusion regarding depression. We tend to equate clinical with feeling depressed. But there is a huge difference between these two.

 

Feeling depressed 

 

We often feel depressed in life. Whenever we fail in some work. Or we do something wrong, or we are going through troubles in our life. Because when we are going through a phase of struggle in our life.  We fall many times. Because of this, we feel sad. Because of this, we get disappointed and also overthink. But the same moment as soon as we start climbing the stairs of success, or the phase of troubles starts ending. We start feeling joy again, and our depression ends automatically.

 

Clinical depression 

 

The same clinical depression doesn’t make you have mood swings. Here the status quo remains. But in some depression, your mood will be episodic. Like bipolar disorder. And when this condition persists for at least two consecutive weeks. So it comes under the category of clinical depression.  

 

In clinical depression, you get stuck on a single thought or sit there frozen.  Nothing remains for you in front of him nor behind him. Your mind just keeps on solving the same unsolved knot. Sometimes your analytical mind tries to solve it. So sometimes he starts questioning the solution made by him. Your position is like that child. One builds a house on the sand, but then the next moment breaks it and builds it again. Because he does not understand which one is good.

 

So in the end the point is that depression is a mental illness. In which your mind becomes so busy solving a puzzle of life. That he stops paying attention to the signals of any of his sense organs. Because of this, we keep getting cut off from the outside world and even from our families. We have neither idea of ​​time nor hunger and thirst. We just get stuck in our confusion.

 

Symptoms of depression 

 

 

What are the symptoms of depression?  Or what are the signs or symptoms of depression?  As we all know, depression is a mood disorder. There are so many fluctuations in our mood or mental status. Because of this, our daily activities get affected.  Even if we do not feel hungry, or seem too hungry. Either we do not get sleep or we get too much sleep. We don’t feel like doing any work. And even we are victims of distraction.

 

So, Mainly we can divide the symptoms of depression into five points. What is the impact of it on our mood, sleep, behavior, intelligence, and on the whole body? And due to its impact, we will be able to know its symptoms.  So let’s know about its impact one by one

 

Symptoms of depression 

 

1. Depression impacts our Mood 

 

This is found in patients with depression. That he becomes very emotional. Or become a victim of emotional numbness. Even in bipolar disorder, the patient can feel emotional episodic mood swings. Just like the saas bahu serial. In one episode the patient becomes very emotional. Or in the second episode, the patient becomes calm. In psychotic depression, patients become victims of hallucinations. This means the patient starts seeing or hearing that thing that is neither seen nor heard by others. They are victims of illusion. The patient starts feeling that everyone wants his harm. Even thoughts of suicide start coming to his mind.

 

2. Depression impacts our Intellect status 

 

This means our intellectual capacity.  It has a very adverse effect on the intellectual capacity of the patient. During the depression, the intellectual capacity of the patient starts decreasing. Patients are not in a position to make a decision. Gradually his decision-making ability starts decreasing. His concentration level starts decreasing.

 

Even the work in which he used to get interested, or used to feel very happy. He doesn’t feel like doing it. Patients of hyper depression start becoming victims of social isolation. He becomes so hopeless in his life that his mind is not capable of thinking anything positive.

 

3. Depression impacts our Sleeping pattern 

 

In depression, the patient either sleeps a lot or too often during the day time. Either their sleep disappears completely. Their nights pass in restlessness and days in lethargy.

 

The day passes as it is. Due to feeling tired, light sleep also comes. But the night is spent in restlessness. At night restlessness, despondency, and the darkness of the future fill the patient with fear. Because of this, sleepless nights fly away. But when this condition persists for at least 2 weeks. Only then your depression comes under the category of clinical depression. 

 

4. Depression impact on our body 

 

This means what is the effect of depression on our body? In this, either the patients become obese, or their weight starts decreasing.  Eating more and sleeping more of the patient makes him a victim of obesity. That’s why his eating less or sleeping less causes his weight to decrease. On the other hand, we will feel lethargic throughout the day. Even moving from the bed will become difficult. We would not like to go to the office. We would not like to study. And we would not like to do any work. We feel tired throughout the day. Our brains feel tired.

 

5. Depression’s impact on our Behaviour 

 

Depression patients often have symptoms of irritability, distraction, loss of interest in anything, or social isolation. Many times, those in whom depression is very high. They start reacting violently. Gradually, he starts cutting off people so much. That the premise of his room becomes his entire world. He doesn’t want to come out of it. And gradually his isolation makes him think of suicide.

 

So these are some of the symptoms which are found in any depressed person. But before forming any opinion about it. You must get yourself diagnosed by a medical practitioner. Because without physical examination no one can tell. Whether you are suffering from depression or not. If you have five or more of these symptoms for 2 weeks or longer. Your doctor may diagnose you with major depression. You have at least one of the symptoms. That is a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities.

 

What is the difference between depression vs laziness?

 

Types of depression 

 

 

What are the types of depression and what is the difference between them? As we know it is our mental breakdown. Which affects our process of thinking, understanding, and reacting. Due to this, our daily activities are also affected. Some suffer more than this, some less than this. As in Major Depressive Disorder, the level of depression is not very severe. In the same bipolar disorder, the patient is troubled by the ups and downs of his mood. And in psychotic disorder, the patient feels very depressed in the morning. So let’s know how many types of depression there are. 

 

9 types of depression. 

 

1. Bipolar disorder-

 

As I told you above, in bipolar disorder, the patient is troubled by the up and down or swings of his mood. Sometimes patients become so emotional. That they start crying and screaming. After some time, he will look completely calm. You would not even know that this is the same man. Who was so emotionally hurt some time back? You can understand it like a serial of saas and bahu. In this disorder, you have mood episodes. Sometimes emotional, sometimes calm. It is also called manic depression.

 

2. Postnatal depression

 

It is generally found in women. But 1 out of 10 patients can also be male. This can happen between 1 week to 1 month after any woman has a child. My wife is a victim of this this. It happened when she had her second child. 1 or 2 weeks after that. Suddenly my mother was diagnosed with cancer. At first, I did not see any effect of this on my wife. But gradually her sleepless nights started ending. She used to feel tired throughout the day, and irritable. And even later she became a little aggressive.

 

When I showed her to the doctor. The doctor said the reason behind it was hormone imbalance. He said that when any woman conceives a child. There are many hormonal changes in her body. And that’s why when she heard the shocking news. Her mind could not accept and she became a victim of depression.  She got cured after 7 to 8 months of treatment.  Because his medicine was started in time. And if you people also want to avoid depression, then definitely go to the doctor in time. It is a common disease like other diseases.

 

3. Psychotic depression-

 

As it seems from its name itself. That its symptoms will be psychological. This means this the patient hears and sees that which is not heard and seen by others like a hallucination. In this, the patient is a victim of Delusions. This means assuming a very wrong concept. The same patient is sometimes a victim of Paranoia.  In which the patient feels that others want to kill him or hurt him. 

 

4. Seasonal affective disorder

 

This affects seasonally. Its tendency is to become more in the cold. Whereas when it starts getting hot, its tendency starts to decrease. Mainly, the reason for its growth in the cold is the shortening of the day.  And there is less sunlight. In this, the mind remains depressed, sleep is less, and fatigue persists throughout the whole day.

 

5. Major depressive disorder

 

It is also known as clinical depression and unipolar depression. Most patients suffer from major depression. This is a condition whose primary symptom is a depressed mood for more than two weeks. A depressed mood affects all aspects of a person’s life, including work, home life, relationships, and friendships. And a person with this type of depression often finds it difficult to get things done or motivated. So it can be challenging to seek treatment for the condition as well.

 

6. Anxious Distress 

 

In this, you feel tense and anxious throughout the day. Your concentration level slowly starts to decrease. A fear settles inside you that “whatever I do, I will do wrong”. Because of whatever goes wrong in your life. You hold yourself responsible for that. And you are the victim of your guilt.

 

7. Melancholy

 

You will feel rotten in this. You will not feel like doing the work. Which used to give you pleasure. In this depression, the patient feels the most depressed in the morning. Your sleep will be rough, you will lose weight slowly.  Suicidal thoughts also come in severe cases.

 

8. Agitated disorder

 

You feel uncomfortable most of the time.  In this mumble while walking, talking too much, or doing something impulsively. This is a symptom of agitated depression.

 

9. Persistent depressive disorder

 

If you have depression that lasts for 2 years or longer. It is called a persistent depressive disorder. The term is used to describe two conditions formerly known as dysthymia (low-grade persistent depression) and chronic major depression.

 

So these are 9 types of depression. And their differences which you can know about. From which one you are affected? 

 

How to diagnose that you are depressed? Try Burn Depression Checklist (BDC).

 

Causes of depression 

 

 

The causes of depression. What are the reasons for it ? Which promotes depression  in us. According to me, our two types of mindset and 5 mental conditions are responsible for depression. So let’s first know about two mindsets. Which is responsible for it.

 

Two mindset causes depression. 

 

First, ruminating nature 

 

This is called the mindset of ruminating. Some animals like cows, buffalo, or sheep.  While eating, the food they saved. Some food is in the first chamber of the stomach. And after some time they bring it back to their mouth and chew it. Similarly, many of us when we get free time. Or we don’t have any work. So we withdraw those thoughts from our subconscious mind. The thing we are afraid of, or have some past regrets, or have some aspirations or some apprehension about it. 

 

We start thinking about it for a long time. Often such thinking starts arising in our minds at night. When we are on our bed or are alone apart from others. And from here slowly we start moving towards depression. First symptom is sleeplessness. And gradually this thinking starts increasing more and more. And later it causes diseases like depression and anxiety.

 

Second, worried nature 

 

It is an old saying. Worries go with the pyre.  But I believe that a pyre burns our dead body, and worry burns us alive. It makes our minds a heap of ashes. Which turns us into living corpses. Most of the reasons for our anxiety are of two types. One is the regret of our past mistakes or past trauma. And secondly, the aspirations and hopes for our future life. This is how we get entangled in the cycle of these two.  Gradually we become victims of overthinking. And this overthinking later causes depression and anxiety.

 

So after knowing these two types of mindsets.  Now it is our turn to know those five mental and physical conditions due to which we become victims of depression.

 

5 mental condition causes depression

 

First, Hormonal imbalance-

 

As I mentioned above. Some depression is caused by hormonal changes in our bodies. In postnatal depression, between 1 week to 1 month after a woman has had a baby. She may be a victim of this type of depression. Because at that time, due to pregnancy, the body of a woman is going through the phases of hormone imbalance.

 

Second, the genetic condition 

 

This has been found in research. Those people whose blood relations have had a history of depression. So those people come in the vulnerable group of it. However, till now scientists have not been able to trace that gene. Which causes the origin of depression. 

 

Third, drug addictions

 

It has been found in research. That 9 out of 10 drug addiction victims are also victims of depression. His drug addiction starts slowly killing the neurons of his brain. Breaks the neuro path of their emotional and reasoning brain. Because of this patients are victims of hallucination. Whatever they see or hear in hallucination is an illusion of their mind.  Because it cannot be seen or heard by others.

 

Fourth, brain chemistry

 

Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals. Which may play a role in depression. An imbalance of neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, contributes to the development of it. Recent research indicates that changes in the function and effects of these neurotransmitters and how they interact with neural circuits involved in maintaining mood stability remain to be explored. Which can play an important role in depression and its treatment.

 

Fifth, Stressful life events

 

Stressful life events: Difficult experiences, such as the death of a loved one, trauma, divorce, separation, and lack of support, are trigger points for depression. And probably these are the first symptoms as well.

 

So these are two types of mindsets. And 5 types of mental and physical conditions. Because of this, we fall prey to depression.

 

Treatments of depression 

 

the treatment of depression or its treatment.  Means which types of therapy is used to cure depression. There is also some natural therapy in this. By which we can cure depression even without medicine. So let’s know about these therapies one by one.

 

First is Psychotherapy

 

In this therapy,the therapist helps you to learn skills. To deal with negative emotions. Psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy”, involves the patient learning from a trained therapist. How to identify and deal with those factors. Which contributes to the recovery of their mental health condition. 

 

Second, Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

 

In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapist uncovers unhealthy patterns of thought. Notices when negative thoughts arise in your mind. And what is your reaction or behavior at that time. Your therapist may then assign you “homework”.  Where you’ll practice replacing negative thoughts with more positive ones.

 

Third, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

 

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is similar to CBT, but it acknowledges uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, rather than fighting with them. And lays special emphasis on its verification. Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills help you work towards changing your thoughts and behaviors. Under this principle, you make change possible to your harmful thoughts or feelings.

 

Fourth, Psychodynamic therapy

 

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy designed to help you better understand and cope with your daily life.  Psychodynamic therapy is based on the idea that your present-day reality is shaped by your subconscious mind and childhood experiences. In this form of therapy, your therapist reflects on your childhood and experiences. And helps you to check it. So that you can understand your life and face it.

 

Fifth, Light therapy

 

Exposure to doses of white light may help regulate your mood and improve symptoms of depression.  Light therapy is commonly used in seasonal behavioral disorder. In which you feel depressed with a seasonal pattern.

 

Sixth, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

 

In this therapy, electrical currents are used to reduce the attacks of depression. It is used to help patients with clinical depression. It is used on people with severe depression.  Those who have resistance with other treatments or antidepressant drugs. During the ECT procedure, the patient is given an anesthetic.  Which will put him to sleep for about 5 to 10 minutes.

 

The doctor places cardiac monitoring pads on the patient’s chest and four electrodes on specific areas of their brain. Which delivers a short electrical pulse for a few seconds. The patient does not feel the electric current in it.  And wakes up after about 5 to 10 minutes of treatment.

 

Side effects include headache, nausea, muscle pain and soreness, and confusion or disorientation. Patients may also have memory problems. But these usually last for weeks and months after treatment.

 

Seventh, Antidepressant therapy

 

This therapy is used on moderate or high level depressed people. In which the first

 

Noradrenaline and Dopamine Reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs)

 

These drugs can treat depression by increasing the levels of dopamine and noradrenaline in your brain. Examples of NDRIs include bupropion (Wellbutrin).

 

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

 

MAOIs treat depression by increasing the levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and tyramine in your brain. Due to side effects and safety concerns. MAOIs are not the first choice for treating mental health disorders. They are usually only used when other medicines have failed to treat depression.

 

N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist

 

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NDMA) antagonists treat depression by increasing glutamate levels in the brain.  Glutamate is a neurotransmitter thought to be involved in depression. NMDA antagonists are used only in patients. Who have not had success with other antidepressant treatments.

 

It is not that for the prevention of depression only you have to resort to these medicines or these therapies. If your depression is of mild level or it is just beginning. So you can also cure it by some natural therapy. So let’s know about some natural therapy methods.

 

Eighth, Naturopathy

 

First, Meditation 

 

Stress, anxiety and anger are triggers of depression. But meditation can help change the way your brain responds to these emotions. This has been found through studies. That meditation can help improve symptoms of depression. And reduce the likelihood of recurrence of depression.

 

Second, Acupuncture. 

 

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine. That may help ease some symptoms of depression. During acupuncture, a practitioner uses needles to stimulate certain areas in the body in order to treat the body parts. Research shows that acupuncture may help clinical treatments work better and may be as effective as counseling.

 

Third, Exercise

 

Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity 3 to 5 days a week.  Exercise can increase your body’s production of endorphins. Which improves your mood hormones.

 

Fourth, Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs

 

Drinking or abusing substances may make you feel better for a while. But in the long run, these substances can make symptoms of depression and anxiety worse.

 

Fifth, Set a limit

 

Feeling overwhelmed can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression.  Setting boundaries in your professional and personal life can help you feel better.

 

Sixth, vitamins

 

Vitamins are important for many bodily functions. Research suggests that two vitamins are particularly helpful for reducing the symptoms of depression:

 

Vitamin B: B-12 and B-6 are important for brain health. When your levels of B vitamins are low, your risk of developing depression may be higher.

 

Vitamin D: it is also called sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is important for brain, heart and bone health. There may be a link between vitamin D deficiency and depression. But more research is needed.

 

So this is some kind of treatment which is given to the patients with depression.  But the sooner you understand the symptoms of it.  And treat it as a disease, and meet with a mental disease expert. The sooner you will get rid of this disease. Never consider yourself a patient of depression without consulting a doctor. Because only a mental expert can tell through his experience. Whether you are a victim of depression or just feeling depressed.

 

Best of luck.