Psychiatric/Neurological Disease & Disorders
Depression in Adults
Find out about Depression in Children

What is it?

Depression is one of a range of moods a person feels that can vary from feeling down as a result of having a bad day, to a debilitating feeling of sadness that may overwhelm you and prevent you from performing normal daily tasks. Depression can occur in people of all ages and the episodes can last from a few days to several weeks or months. It is thought that young adults experience depression more frequently, and that it effects twice as many women as men.

What causes it?

The causes of this disorder are not fully understood, but there are many different ideas behind it. There is a belief that depression can be caused by certain stressors in life or major life changes. Even with these stressors, many believe that you must be genetically predisposed to depression. This belief is backed by some evidence of a hereditary link which causes depression. Some depressive disorders can be caused by a concurrent medical condition. Depression is also linked to substance abuse.

What are the symptoms?

While there are many symptoms, some of the most common are:
• Loss of interest in activities usually found to be pleasurable
• Changes in weight
• Changes in sleep patterns (either too much or too little), difficulty falling asleep or waking up earlier than usual

• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Feeling agitated (unable to sit still)
• Frequent episodes of crying

• Feeling of excessive irritability or anxiety
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or plans of suicide
 
How to find out if you are suffering from depression.
Because of the increasing awareness of depression in our society, an accurate assessment for depression is readily available. This can be done by seeking assistance from a psychiatrist, your medical doctor or other mental health professionals. The mental health professional will want to obtain most of the following information to make an accurate diagnosis:

• Complete physical examination, including medical history
• Complete social and psychiatric history
• Survey of current mood and level of functioning
• A mental status examination
• Length of time you are currently experiencing these symptoms

What are the treatment options?

There are many options for the treatment of depression. Currently the most common is the prescribing of medication. Most psychiatrists and physicians combine this medication management with counseling to help to maximize the patient's recovery.