“Depression” (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms

People with depression usually have the following symptoms for at least 2 weeks

Introverted, isolated from society

Feeling sad, discouraged, and hopeless.

Feeling worthless

Feeling guilty and blaming yourself all the time

Loss of interest or enjoyment in activities

Moves slowly or restlessly

tired and exhausted all the time

Lack of concentration, less ability to think and make decisions

Loss of appetite or increased appetite

Sleeping more or less than usual

Have thoughts or attempts to kill yourself

Having problems working and living in society

Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can occur at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime. There is a high degree of heritability (approximately 40%) when first-degree relatives (parents/children/siblings) have depression.

Risk Factors for Depression

Disorders in the brain such as neurotransmitters, hormones and nervous system circuits

People with a relative with a mood disorder are more likely to suffer from depression. However, those who do not have a relative with an emotional disorder may have this disease.

An individual’s state of mind due to upbringing, environment, and bad life events. This affects the thinking process and views on oneself, such as pessimism. Despair or lack of self-esteem, etc.

Depression can be caused by other disorders such as physical diseases (thyroid, epilepsy, dementia, etc.), some medications. drug problem Bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, etc.

Treatment

Psychotherapy treatment
psychotherapy or “Talk therapy” is sometimes used alone to treat mild depression. for moderate to severe depression Psychotherapy is often used in combination with antidepressants. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
It has been found to be effective in treating depression. CBT is one of today’s problem-solving-focused forms of therapy. CBT helps a person become aware of distorted/negative thoughts. It aims to change thinking and behavior in order to respond to challenges in a more positive manner.

Psychotherapy may involve specific individuals. For example, family or couples therapy can help with problems within these intimate relationships. Group therapy brings people with similar illnesses together in a supportive environment. and can help participants learn how others cope in similar situations.
Treatment can take a few weeks or longer, depending on the severity of your depression. In many cases, significant improvement can be achieved in 10 to 15 sessions.

Treat with medication
Brain chemistry can affect an individual’s depression and may influence treatment. for this reason, Antidepressants may be prescribed to help alter brain chemistry. These drugs are not “upper” sedatives or antidepressants. They are not habit-forming. In general, antidepressants are not stimulating in people without depression.

Antidepressants may improve symptoms within the first week or two of use. But the full benefit may not be seen for a few months. If the patient feels little or no improvement after several weeks His or her psychiatrist can change the dose or add or substitute another antidepressant. in some situations Other psychiatric medications may help. It’s important to let your doctor know if the medications don’t work or if you experience side effects. Psychiatrists often advise patients to continue taking the medication for six months or more after symptoms improve. Long-term maintenance therapy may be recommended to reduce the risk of future symptoms for some people at high risk.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
ECT is a medical treatment usually reserved for patients with severe depression who have not responded to other treatments. It involves brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under general anesthesia. General Patients will receive two to three ECTs per week for a total of six to 12 treatments.