DEPRESSION

Research Paper of Carl Jasper Baraoed

Grade VIII-Newton

Depression, also known as major depressive disorders,is a common and serious medical
illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression
causes feelings of sadness or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety
of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and
at home.

Depression can happen at any age, but often begins in adulthood. Depression is now
recognized as occurring in children and adolescents, although it sometimes presents with more
prominent irritability than low mood. Many chronic mood and anxiety disorders in adults begin
as high levels of anxiety in children.

Depression, especially in midlife or older adults, can co-occur with other serious medical
illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease. These conditions
are often worse when depression is present. Sometimes medications taken for these physical
illnesses may cause side effects that contribute to depression. A doctor experienced in treating
these complicated illnesses can help work out the best treatment strategy.

Although scientists agree that depression is a brain disorder, the debate continues about
exact causes. Many factors may contribute to the onset of depression, including genetic
characteristics, changes in hormone levels, certain medical illnesses, stress, grief, or substance
abuse. Any of these factors alone or in combination can bring about the specific changes in
brain chemistry that lead to the many symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and related
conditions.

Depression shows symptoms such as sadness, anxiousness, hopelessness, pessimism,

guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and
activities ,decreasing energy, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, remembering, making
decisions, insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping, low appetite and weight loss or
overeating and weight gain, suicide attempts, restlessness, headaches, digestive disorders and
pain.

Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your
primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However,
many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist or other
mental health professional.

If you have severe depression, you may need a hospital stay, or you may need to
participate in an outpatient treatment program until your symptoms improve.

Patients, who live with depression, and their family and friends, have enormous
challenges to overcome. Primary care physicians can provide compassionate care, important
education, psychiatric monitoring, social support, reassurance, and advocacy for these patients
and their loved ones.

References:
》https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
》http://www.depressiontoolkit.org/aboutyourdiagnosis/depression.asp
》https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/depression/symptoms
》https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/diagnosis-treatment/drc-
20356013
》https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml