Take a Closer Look at Depression
Take a Closer
Look at Depression
by Darra McMullen,
Women’s Health Network
Writer/Researcher
Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to
read and think about the December 2017 article concerning anxiety and
depression. That story, which was the
first of a three-part series on the conditions, focused on recent news briefs
concerning anxiety and depression. Now,
with part 2 of the series, we’ll look more deeply at the details of depression.
Depression
affects the whole person, including the body in general, the nervous system in
particular, as well as moods, thoughts, and behaviors. Depression creates effects in eating and
sleeping patterns, self-concept, and a person’s reactions to the people and
events in his/her environment.
Depressive
symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years.
There are several types of depression with varying numbers of symptoms
and frequency and duration of occurrence.
Common
symptoms of any type of depression include the following: chronic fatigue,
sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, headaches, backaches, digestive
disorders, restlessness, irritability, quickness to anger, loss of interest or
pleasure in hobbies, and feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. Additional
symptoms include: sadness, hopelessness, pessimism, body aches, difficulty
concentrating, thoughts of death or suicide, muscle tension, teeth grinding, or
jaw clenching.
There are a
number of risk factors for depression.
Simply being female is a big risk factor. Women endure depression (and anxiety)
disorders twice as often as men; currently, researchers speculate that hormonal
fluctuations raise the risk of depression.
Individuals from families with a history of depression, anxiety,
alcoholism, and/or suicide are at increased risk for depressive disorders. Family dynamics and childhood adversity can
raise the risk of developing depression as well. Worrying about money, health, or world
events, especially during childhood, can increase risk of anxiety, phobias, and
depression. Likewise, children who have
suffered bullying or traumatic family events have a higher risk of developing
depression and/or anxiety at some point in their lives.
Additional
depression risk factors include the following:
side effects of some prescription drugs, illicit drug or alcohol use,
living at a low socioeconomic level, and having few personal
relationships. Likewise, abusive
relationships of any kind, or even strained relations with close family or
friends can lead to increased risk of depression, as can death, divorce, or
unemployment. Certain aspects of brain
chemistry or brain structure can contribute to increased depression risk or
severity of depression. Individuals with
lower or higher than normal levels of specific brain chemicals are known to
suffer more frequently from depression than a “normal” individual. Similarly, having fewer than normal brain
chemical receptors and/or a thin right cortex can cause depression and/or
anxiety.
Anxiety and
depression often occur together; in fact, some sources state there is nearly a
60% overlap in the two conditions. While some sufferers experience the more
dramatic manifestation of anxiety, namely panic attacks, which feature physical
symptoms similar to a heart attack, other patients experience what’s termed GAD
or generalized anxiety disorder, which is a more low grade, but chronic and
persistent, unrealistic worrying about minor problems, daily events, or the
future. Other forms of anxiety disorder
include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), phobias, and social anxiety disorder.
The three
major categories of depressive disorders are as follows: major depression, dysthymic depression, and
bipolar depression. Major depression is
a combination of symptoms such as sadness, irritability, and worthlessness that
persist for two or more weeks and interfere with a person’s ability to engage
in daily activities, responsibilities, or interests. Major depression is disabling and often
alters sleeping and eating patterns in a negative way. Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is a
form of major depression that occurs in the fall and winter months due to the
body’s reaction to lower levels of sunlight.
Dysthymic depression is a less severe and dramatic, but longer lasting,
version of major depression. Dysthymic
patients are generally able to go through the routine habits of daily life but
are rarely able to function at their full capacity of abilities. Dysthymia interferes with enjoyment of life,
social interactions, and normal functioning to its fullest degree. Dysthymia may last for years. Unfortunately,
Dysthymic patients may be viewed mistakenly by family, friends, co-workers, or
employers as lacking initiative, goals, or discipline, when really, the patient
is suffering from a medical condition. Bipolar
disorder often begins as depression, but as it progresses, the disorder evolves
into alternating episodes of depression and mania, or abnormally and
persistently elevated mood, energy, restlessness, or even irritability. Bipolar disorder is less common than the
other “unipolar” disorders and more decidedly linked to genetic factors and
brain chemistry abnormalities, rather than environmental factors such as
lifestyle or traumatic events.
Fortunately,
even with all the numerous risk factors for depression and the prevalence of
the disorder in our population, there is much reason for hope. Many things can be done to alleviate
depression, or in some cases, make it go away completely.
Among the
many treatments for depression are the following: antidepressant medications,
nutritional therapies, exercise, sleep improvement, self-help through
depression education and support groups, cognitive behavioral therapy, and
simply talking through troublesome emotions or life situations with a trained
counselor.
Below are a
few highlights about each treatment:
•Antidepressant
medications can favorably alter the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine,
serotonin, and norepinephrine, thereby elevating mood and allowing thinking to
become more focused.
•Improving
nutrition can make a significant difference in brain function. Increasing intake of complex carbohydrates
and proteins can improve neurotransmitter production noticeably. Increasing intake of B-complex vitamins is
also a very effective means of helping brain function. Fairly large oral doses, or in some cases,
even vitamin injections may be necessary.
Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and magnesium are also helpful in treating
or preventing depressive symptoms. See
pages 361-368 of the book Prescription for
Nutritional Healing (5th. edition) by Phyllis A. Balch for a
comprehensive investigation of natural and nutritional depression therapies.
•Exercise,
even 10 - 15 minutes a day, can uplift mood.
Longer exercise bouts bring even more mood relief and physical health
benefits. Some researchers believe
exercise can be as effective as a second antidepressant medication.
•Sleep
disturbances can wreak havoc with body balance, both physical and mental. Work with your doctor to implement a good,
healthful sleep situation for your lifestyle.
Your body and moods will improve.
•Self-help
through educational books, CDs, or websites can improve understanding of your
condition and empower you to correct it.
Support groups can provide a “safe” social outlet with others suffering
similar problems and can increase personal knowledge of your condition,
treatment, and ways to change your situation for the better.
•Cognitive
behavioral therapy can help “retrain” your brain and reroute negative thinking
and destructive behaviors to ones more positive and helpful in elevating mood.
•Speaking
with a trained counselor can help you see your problems in a new light and help
you find constructive solutions to your situation.
There are
many helpful resources available. Start
with an honest discussion with your doctor and ask for referrals for
information or counseling.
Depression
can be successfully treated; seek your personal right answers; they’re
available.
Please join
us later this month for a detailed look at the condition of anxiety, the third
installment in the three-part series on anxiety and depression.
