Depression
by Dailisia Hurley
What is depression ?
- Depression is feeling of extreme sadness for more than two weeks.
- Symptoms of depression include but are not limited to :
- feelings of worthlessness or helpless or “empty” feelings.
- irritability and/or restlessness
- lost of interest in activities or hobbies
- fatigue or decreased energy
- overeating or appetite loss
- suicide attempts or thoughts of suicide
- trouble staying awake or falling to sleep.
- headaches, pains, digestive problems that don't ease with treatment
What causes depression ?
- depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
People who suffer from depression may have far fewer of the receptors in the brain that regulate our happiness when compared to non-depressed people.
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Who is at risk ?
- Every year about 7% of U.S. adults experience major depressive disorder
- Women are 70 % more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime
- The average age to develop depression is 32 years old.
- 4% of 13 to 18 year olds have experienced a seriously debilitating depressive disorder.
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Living with depression
- Depression occurs more in women than men
- Biological, life cycle, hormonal, and psycho-social factors that many women experience can be linked to women's higher depression rate.
Women with depression are more likely to have feelings of sadness, worthlessness or excessive guilt, men are are more likely to be very tired,irritable,lose interest in once-pleasurable activities, and have difficulty sleeping.
Men can be more likely than women to turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed.
Men also tend to drown themselves in their work in order to avoid talking about and facing their depression
- Although women attempt suicide more than men, many men die by suicide in the United States
How to treat depression
- Once depression has been diagnosed, the two most common ways to treat it is through medication and psychotherapy.
- Antidepressants need to be taken for 4-6 weeks in order for them to work, even if the patient starts feeling better they need to continue taking them so the depression doesn't return .
- During psychotherapy you learn about your condition and your moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
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