Life With Depression

Life with Depression The majority of Americans have felt sad or depressed at times. Feeling depressed can be a normal reaction to loss, life's struggles, or a hurt self-esteem. But when feelings of intense sadness -- including feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless -- last for many days to weeks and keep you from living your normal life, your depression may be something more than just sadness. It may be clinical depression -- a treatable medical condition (Web MD). Description of the Disorder Depression has many different characteristics and symptoms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, these are the symptoms and characteristics of the disorder: Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions, fatigue and decreased energy, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness, feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism, insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping, irritability, restlessness, loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex, overeating or appetite loss, persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment, persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings, thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts. If you have at least 5 of these symptoms, chances are you are suffering from some form of depression (Web MD n.d).
Risk Factors
According to Jim Haggerty, an M.D who wrote “Risk Factors for Depression” for PyschCentral.com, depression can happen to anyone at any time, research has identified many factors that are associated with an increased risk of becoming depressed. Some of them include: Family History—having an immediate family member with depression increases the risk of developing depression. Other mental illnesses, such as alcoholism in family members, can also increase the risk for depression.
Early Childhood Experience – Early childhood trauma, such as loss of a parent before adolescence, child neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and parental divorce are all linked to a risk for adult depression.
Stress — Negative life events, such as divorce, loss of a loved one or loss of employment are associated with increased depression. Research shows that chronic stresses (such as illness, lack of social support and numerous “daily hassles”) are also linked to depression.
Alcohol — Depression and alcoholism is often seen in the same patients at the same time. Alcohol is a depressant drug and its presence in a depressed person has serious implications on treatment outcome.
Marital Status – Depression is highest among divorced, separated, or co-inhabiting persons. It is lowest among single and married persons. People living alone have higher rates of depression than those living with others do (Jim Haggerty, 2006).

Causes There are many different causes to have one become depressed. They may have lost a close loved one, have taken a medication where one of the symptoms was depression, was in the past or is being abuse currently, be genetic, be in a major conflict, have a major events, good and bad, occur in their lives, diagnosed with a serious illnesses, or be abusing substances. One or a combination of these things can lead to a person becoming depressed. One cause might lead an individual to do inherit another cause to their depression. For example, an individual has lost their grandmother to cancer and the only way they believe that they will overcome this feeling of depression is to start smoking pot, but then they started abusing that substance and it doesn’t do what they believe it will and then they become more depressed. If one doesn’t get the correct treatment for their depression, it could have some tragic consequences (Web MD, nd).
Diagnosis
We've become accustomed to doctors using blood tests or other expensive laboratory tests to help them make a conclusive diagnosis. However, most laboratory tests are not very helpful when it comes to diagnosing depression. In fact, talking with the patient may be the most important diagnostic tool the doctor has. To effectively diagnose and treat depression, the doctor must hear about specific symptoms of depression. While a physical examination will reveal a patient's overall state of health, by talking with a patient, a doctor can learn about other things that are relevant to making a depression diagnosis. A patient, for example, can have a conversation on such things as daily moods, behaviors, and lifestyle habits. A depression diagnosis is often difficult to make because clinical depression can be clear in so many different ways. For example, some clinically depressed individuals seem to withdraw into a state of boredom. Others may become irritable or even agitated. Eating and sleeping patterns can be overstated. A depressed person may either sleep or eat to excess or almost eliminate those activities. Observable or behavioral symptoms of clinical depression may be minimal despite a person experiencing intense inner confusion. Depression can be an all-about disorder, and it affects a person's body, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in varying ways (Web MD, nd).

Available Treatment Options
Psychological Treatments
There are different types of psychological treatments that one may use to treat their depression. Some of the types are as follows: Cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy all focus on how your own thoughts and behaviors contribute to your depression. A therapist will help one learn new ways to react to situations and challenge your preconceptions. An individual and their therapist might come up with concrete goals. One might also get 'homework' assignments, like keeping a journal or applying problem-solving techniques in particular situations. Interpersonal therapy focuses on how your relationships with other people play a role in one’s depression. It focuses on practical issues. Psychodynamic therapy is a more traditional form of therapy. Individual counseling is a one-on-one session with a professional therapist who might be a psychiatrist/physician, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or nurse practitioner, with experience in treating depression and other mood disorders. The therapist can teach some one more about depression and help them understand the diagnosis. They can discuss new strategies to manage stress and to prevent the depression from worsening or coming back.