Depression
It's Not a Losing Battle
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is depression?
Why do people get depressed?
What are some ways to deal with depression?
Are there different types of depression?
How does it affect the person?
How can you help someone who is depressed?
SUMMARY OF RESEARCH
Depression is a serious problem that should not be ignored. On the Mayo Clinic website it says, “More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out" of.” This means that being depressed is so much more than just being sad or down in the dumps, it’s a serious mental illness that causes chronic sadness and loss of interest and energy, depression is also one of the leading causes of suicide. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. There are many, many people with depression, in fact just in the U.S alone there are over 20 million people who suffer from depression. Depression can also be apart of bipolar disorder, which is also a mental illness in which a person has extreme changes in mood, which can also be serious. Depression also comes in different forms, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is something that some people can get get during the winter months when there isn't as much natural sunlight. There is also postpartum depression, which is a form of depression which some women get after the birth of a child. There is no single cause of depression, though a few of the most common causes are genetics, traumatic experiences, life circumstances, and drug and alcohol abuse. Although depression is serious and seems so morbid and hopeless it is treatable, some ways to treat it, depending on how serious the case is, include therapy, exercise, mood stabilizers, and medications. When a loved one or someone close to you is depressed, a good way to help them is to stay positive and encouraging and let them know that you are there for them.
SOURCES
Depression (major depression) - Mayo Clinic." 2013. 27 Apr. 2015 <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977>
Bipolar disorder Treatments and drugs - Mayo Clinic." 2014. 1 May. 2015 <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/basics/treatment/con-20027544>
NIMH · Depression." 2007. 1 May. 2015 <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/>
"Depression: MedlinePlus." 27 Apr. 2015 <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html>
"NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | Depression." 2015. 1 May. 2015 <https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression>