Depression

Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps, and when it becomes severe and/or lasts for a sufficient amount of time, then it becomes a pathological condition, called a depressive disorder. There are several forms of depressive disorders, and they are divided mainly by severity and episode length.

Major depression, major depressive disorder, or clinical depression are clinical terms used to describe depression. There are 7 types of depression in DSM-5, plus one called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) to be used in children and adolescents with recurrent temper outbursts that was created to eliminate pediatric bipolar diagnoses (a huge step backwards in our opinion).

Depression can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn't worth living.

Depression and depressive symptoms can be caused by many different processes. There is no one cause for all cases of depression; therefore, it is useful to remember that the causes of depression are complex and frequently multifactorial.

It is well known that depression can be caused by disturbances in specific neural circuits and neurotransmitter systems, but there are many other factors that are often present in the development of depression

Depression can be caused by genetic factors, and so depression often runs in families. Having a family history of depression puts one at risk for having the onset of depression at a much younger age than would normally be expected.

It has been shown that early life trauma, including the divorce of one’s parents between age 5 and 12, dramatically increases the risk of developing depression. Finally there are people who, placed under enough stress, become depressed.

The key neurotransmitters systems thought to be involved in depression are dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. It is theorized that antidepressant medications work by inducing a cascade of events that ultimately restore the nerve function involved in depression back to a normal state.

Depressive disorders have also been associated with abnormal circadian rhythms, and it is not uncommon for people with depression to have disturbances of sleep.

Depression can also be caused by hormonal abnormalities that are released in relation to stress. Currently, the hormone most commonly implicated in producing depression is cortisol, and cortisol has been implicated as a possible cause for depression in some people. Depressed individuals seem to have higher baseline cortisol levels than individuals who are not depressed.

People with depression are more likely to smoke tobacco and score higher on lifetime aggression assessments. Individuals with drug abuse disorders are more likely to experience major depression or have specific phobias.

Nearly one-third of people with major depressive disorder also have a substance use disorder, and a much higher risk of suicide.

The odds of alcohol dependence in someone with depression are two times that of people without depression. People with depression score higher on suicide ideation assessments. Also, people with a history of drug abuse of any kind and severe untreated depression are at very high risk for committing suicide.

Thoughts of suicide constitute a medical emergency. If you have thoughts of suicide, then see a Psychiatrist right away or go to the nearest emergency room. If you believe you have depression, then see a Family Practioner, Internal Medicine specialist, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, or Therapist.