Major depression, or clinical depression is characterized by persistent sadness, in which a person effected by it seems to lack in daily involvement and can in turn result in a partial or total withdrawal from the functioning of daily life. There are many forms of depression however major depression is different from other forms of depression because it is unipolar. Unipolar depression is a state of being that a person only tends to focus on the low moods rather than both mania and depression as seen in bipolar depression (psycom.net). Clinical depression is one of the most common forms of depression and has been widely researched and treated quite efficiently.
The main symptoms of clinical depression are a loss of interest in normal activities and even relationships (webmd.com). Additionally, the people affected by this type of depression tend to think pessimistically and unclear, they become easily angry with people they hold dearly, sleep for longer periods of time, frequently feel exhausted, and gain or lose weight. These symptoms when in combination with the stressors of daily life are a concoction for this type of depression.
Major depression can affect anyone and most commonly is seen in people from 15 to 45 years of age (MedBroadcast.com). According to Dr. George Krucik woman are two times as likely to be depressed than their male counterpart who is their same age. This is said to be true for multiple reasons; fluctuating hormone levels during the time of menopause (late forties/early fifties), woman also tend to overthink their perceived problems more than men do, and finally the social norms that woman have to adhere to such as raising children or taking care of the household duties can cause added stressors to the equation. Luckily woman are far more likely than men to seek out treatments and are more likely to open up to a professional when doing so (pychologytoday.com).
The causes of clinical depression are quite numerous and can arise in many ways. The first cause is a biological reason. This reason is a result of the lack of activation in the left side of the frontal lobe during the time a person is depressed then a reactivation of the lobe when the person isn’t in a depressive state. Another possible cause of depression is the release and reuptake of the neurotransmitters in the brain, these neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin are seen as a link to a person’s temperament. Additionally events in childhood can also trigger depression in some people. Illness, sexual assault, as well as mental assault are all experiences in childhood that have high linkage to the development of major depression. Finally hormonal changes such as woman in their late forties and fifties can experience major depression because of the onset of menopause and the swift amount of hormones at once (drstubbeman.com).
The treatment of major depression is dependent on the symptoms that present themselves in severity. Depression at this time cannot be cured but it can be treated and treated quite effectively. The most common form of treatment for major depression is an antidepressant in combination with therapy. These antidepressants like the popular Abilify, Cymbalta, and Lexapro to name a few work to balance out the neurotransmitters in the brain which are linked to a person’s mood and their overall emotional state. They also prevent these neurotransmitters from being broken down and reabsorbed too quickly. Instead the neurotransmitters can essentially remain in the synapse longer and allow for increased functioning (theguardian.com). When starting any antidepressant, it is important to understand that it can take three weeks at least to even notice the littlest change in emotional state. This sometimes frustrates patients and can deter them from taking the medication consistently on a daily basis in order to give the medication a chance to work to make them feel “normal” again. In some cases patients find that certain antidepressants may not be suited for them. In this case patients are directed to keep their primary care physician involved with how they are feeling and if they begin to feel depressed again the medications are repeatedly tweaked by the physician until the antidepressant with the greatest benefit specific to that patient is found (webmd.com). With all medication that have side-effects antidepressants are no exception. Some common side effects include insomnia, nausea, fatigue, and decreased sex drive. This said, out of the three categories of antidepressant medications the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRI’s tend to have less side effects then their older counterparts TCA’s (tricyclic antidepressants) and MAOI’s (monoamine oxidase inhibitors).
Coupled with antidepressants the use of therapy is recommended. There are many types of therapy that can help with major depression and can also assist the antidepressant in keeping the neurotransmitters in the synapse for longer periods of time which in turn boosts a person’s mood. The first therapy and the most common when used in combination with the antidepressant medication is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy or “talking therapy” is mostly done individually but can extend to a group setting. The premise of this type of therapy targets the patient’s emotions and the ideas they have that add to their depression. These ideas are rationalized and essentially “talked through” (clevelandclinic.org). Another type of therapy if the depression tends to be on the more severe side of the spectrum is Electroconvulsive therapy. This is used in severe cases when medication is unsuccessful. ECT is a technique done under anesthesia where electrodes are placed on the head and minor electric currents are passed though these electrodes to the brain. The purpose of this is thought to have beneficial properties such as releasing chemicals in the brain that can help with nerve communication. To be effective a patient usually requires approximately six to twelve treatments to reap the benefits of this treatment.
For 40% of people this disease is genetic when environmental factors are considered, however the other 60% of people attribute their major depression to environmental factors (Healthline.com). In May of 2011 researchers in London linked the chromosome 3p25-26 to approximately 800 families that have had reoccurring depression passed down within their families. The same linkage was then found in Australia, in Finland and in the United States. This would be highly suggestive that the prevalence of depression can run in families (kcl.ac.uk). The remaining 60% of people have attributed their major depression to environmental factors such as being around a parent that has depression. As a young child, frequently being around a relative that has major depression can possibly make the child copy the behavior of the depressed relative. An example of this is the lack of motivation that some patients exhibit, things like remaining locked in their bedroom seem normal to the child and they too might exhibit this behavior (healthline.com).
The major comorbidity of major depression is most commonly an anxiety disorder such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This holds true because both GAD and Major Depression seem to be related to the same genetic factors as well as both disorders deal with the inability to socialize efficiently when put in certain situations (psychiatrictimes.com). There are various reasons why a person would not seek treatment for major depression, approximately two thirds of the depressed do not even recognize they are even depressed. The other third of people receive treatment but may not stick with it, as they feel the treatment isn’t working for them (medscape.com.) If the depression is severe enough not treating it can cause thoughts of suicide and suicidal attempts. In 2015 there were approximately 44,193 suicide attempts that were reported on in the United States (afsp.com).
Being that I have taken this class, I already have a rudimentary understanding of the aforementioned symptoms and would be able to do a self-assessment to determine whether I have the mental illness. I would seek treatment immediately, in the form of psychotherapy or “talk therapy”, as well as a prescribed antidepressant. Regarding health factors, I would attempt to decrease my stress level by engaging in relaxing hobbies or techniques such as yoga, meditation or painting combined with improving my time management skills, and locating my particular triggers in order to reduce the stress level in the long term. Meditation specifically reduces cortisol ie. stress hormone, and increases oxytocin levels ie.feeling of accomplishment or joy. Exercising too, up to 30 minutes per day, can have the same effect on the brain, and in some cases can be used in place of medication and prevent a relapse, as well as common breathing techniques associated with yoga. Most importantly, however, I would come out to my family and discuss the mental illness openly. They have had personal experience with it, whether it be dealing with it themselves or with another family member who acquired it, and would quite possibly have the best advice to offer in overcoming it. With this particular method, it would be important to have face to face communication, rather than complete isolation in the form of technology. Additionally, forcing myself to engage in the activities I was previously participating in, such as clubs, and seeing those people is important as well, along with getting a pet, thus creating the feeling of being needed. Finally, joining a support group would also be beneficial, as it would help me see that I am not alone, and not only does my family suffer from this mental illness, but other people do as well, helping me find like minding people who understand.