Depression

Research indicates that in the United States more than 17 million people experience depression each year. Almost twice as many women as men experience depression.

Depression is a "whole-body" illness involving your body, emotions, and thoughts. It can result in chronic fatigue, sleep problems, and changes in appetite. It affects the way you feel about yourself and the way you think about things. It can interfere with concentration and decision making. And it affects your behavior, with increased irritability, social withdrawal, and a reduction in your desire to engage in pleasurable activities.

A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. Symptoms may vary from person to person, and depend on the severity of the depression. For some people, depression can be intense and occur in bouts that last for weeks at a time. For others, depression can be less severe but can linger at a low level for years. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment can help most people who suffer from depression.

Major depression is characterized by a severely depressed mood that persists for at least two weeks. When it recurs throughout a person's life it is known as “recurrent” or  Major Depressive Disorder.

Dysthymia is a long-term, mild depression that lasts for at least two years. By definition the symptoms are not as severe as in major depression, although those with dysthymia are highly likely to have superimposed major depressive episodes (known as "double depression"). It often begins in adolescence and spans several decades.

Bipolar Depression is a depression that can occur in bipolar disorder along with mania (extreme happiness or giddiness and frantic activity).

Depressive Pseudodementia is a syndrome in which the patient shows symptoms of dementia (such as confusion and forgetfulness) that are actually caused by depression.

Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood refers to an depressive reaction to a specific life event such as a death, divorce, or other major change. It is diagnosed when the adjustment to the change takes longer than the normally expected time frame or is more severe than expected and interferes with the person's daily activities.

Postpartum Depression is a period of feeling sad, anxious, or irritable after the birth of a baby that last longer than two weeks. Mothers with Postpartum Depression often have fears of being unable to take care of  the new baby or fear hurting her/him.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of winter depression that occurs every winter between September and April, in particular during December, January and February. It is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter. For many people SAD is a seriously disabling illness, preventing them from functioning normally without continuous medical treatment. For others, it is a mild but debilitating condition causing discomfort but not severe suffering.

Major Depression with Psychotic Features This is a condition in which depression is associated with delusional thinking and/or hallucinations. The symptoms of psychotic depression are a combination of symptoms of depression and psychosis. This condition occurs when a depressed person completely loses touch with reality and hallucinates or experiences delusions.  

Depression is difficult to recognize in the elderly because other changes and life events are occurring and can mask real depression. Physical conditions, grieving, and dementia are common changes that can mask depression. Elderly people often express depression diefferently than most other people. For example, instead of complaining of sadness, there may be an increase in physical ailments, headaches, or stomach pain with no medical cause and be tired or irritable.

 Untreated depression is typically characterized by progressively worsening episodes separated by plateaus of temporary stability or remission. If left untreated it will generally resolve within six months to two years although occasionally depression becomes chronic and lasts for many years or indefinitely. In many cases (but not all) treatment can shorten the period of distress to a matter of days or weeks.

 If you think that you might be depressed, see a psychologist as soon as possible. A psychologist can assess whether you are depressed or just under a lot of stress and feeling sad. Remember, depression is treatable. Instead of worrying about whether you are depressed, do something about it. Even if you don't feel like it right now.
-Donald J. Franklin, Ph.D.