DEPRESSION

A person who feels sad all the time, has unexplained crying spells, or loses interest in usual activities may have major depression, a serious medical illness that should be distinguished from normal temporary feelings of sadness after .1 loss, such as the death of a relative or friend.
Over a period of days or weeks, the majority of us are able to return to our normal activities. But when these Icelings of sadness and other symptoms make it hard for us lo get through the day, and when the symptoms last for more than a couple of weeks, we may have what is called  clinical depression.  The term clinical depression is usually used to distinguish the  true  illness of depression from less difficult sadness or the blues.
Clinical depression is not just grief or feeling sad. It is an Illness that can challenge your ability to perform even routine work At its worst, depression may lead you to i ontemplate, attempt, or commit suicide. Depression represents a burden for both you and your family. Sometimes that burden can seem overwhelming.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

The causes of depression are complex. Genetic, biological, and environment us can contribute to its development. In sonic,ion can be traced to a single cause, while in number of causes are at play.

Currently, 11 appears that there are biochemical causes occurring as a result of abnormalities in the levels of certain chemicals in the brain.

These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.
The abnormalities are thought to be biological an are not caused by anything you did.
While we still don t know exactly how levels of these neurotransmitters affect mood, we do know that the levels can be affected by a number of factors.
Heredity: Certain types of depression seem to run in some families. Just because someone is your family has depression, however, doesn t mean you will.
Personality: People with certain personality traits are more likely to become depressed. These include negative thinking, pessimism, excess worry, low selfesteem, a hypersensitivity to perceived rejection, overdependence on others, a sense of superiority alienation from others, and ineffective responses to stress.

Situations: Difficult life events, loss, change, persistent stress can cause levels of neurotransmitt to become unbalanced, leading to depression. major happy events, such as childbirth, can cause changes in hormone levels, be stressful and cause clinical depression, as in postpartum depression.

Medical conditions: Depression is more likely to occur with certain medical conditions. These reoccurring  conditions include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, hormonal disorders, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer disease.

Medications: Some medications used for long periods, such as prednisone, certain blood pressure medicines, sleeping pills, antibiotics and even birth control pills in some cases, can cause depression or make an existing depression worse.


Diet: Deficiencies in certain vitamins, such as folic acid and B-12, may cause depression.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

If you are depressed, you are often unable to perform daily activities. You may not care enough to get out of bed or get dressed, much less work, do errands, or socialize.

Adults: You may be said to be suffering from a major depressive episode if you have a depressed mood for at least two weeks and have at least five of the following symptoms:

 feeling sad or blue.
 crying spells.
 loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.
 significant increase or decrease in appetite.
 significant weight loss or weight gain.
 inability to sleep or excessive sleeping.
 agitation or irritability
 fatigue or loss of energy.
 feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and
 thoughts of death or suicide.

For people who tend to suffer from an increase in appetite, tiredness, and the tendency to sleep (atypical depression), carbohydrate craving, sometimes specifically for chocolate, may occur. That has been found to sometimes be an Indication that the person tends to suffer from irritability and anxiety In addition to depression. Children with depression may also experience the classic symptoms but may exhibit other symptoms as well, including the following:

 poor school performance.

 persistent boredom.

 frequent complaints of physical problems such as headaches and stomachaches.

 some of the classic adult symptoms of depression may also be more obvious in children, such as changes in eating or sleeping patterns (Has the child lost or gained weight in recent weeks or months? Does he or she seem more tired than usual and
 teenagers may show depression by taking more risks and/or showing less concern for their own safety. Examples of risk-taking behaviors include driving recklessly at excessive speed, becoming intoxicated with alcohol or other drugs, especially in situations. where they drive or may be in the presence of others who engage in risky behaviours engaging in promiscuous or unprotected sex. of children with depression report noticing the following behaviour changes. If you notice any of these, discuss this with your health-care provider.  The child cries more often or more easily. The child s eating habits, sleeping habits, or weight change significantly. The child has unexplained physical complaints (for example, headaches or abdominal pain). The child spends more time alone, away from friends and family. The child actually becomes more  clingy  and may become more dependent on certain relationships. This is less common than social withdrawal, though.  The child seems to be overly pessimistic or exhibits excessive guilt or feelings of worthlessness. The child expresses thouqhts about hurting him or herself, or exhibits reckless or other harmful behaviour