What is Depression? Depression is a long-term low mood condition. It significantly affects your capacity to perform everyday tasks, enjoy life, or even take pleasure in recreational activities. Depression is neither: something that almost everyone goes through, or something which you can ‘snap out of’ when it hits you.
Depression is often a symptom of underlying problems, and those underlying problems are rarely simple, black, and white like the ones we usually think of when we hear the word ‘depressed’.
There are a wide range of possible causes for Depression. Sometimes, it can be an inherited condition (meaning that your parents or grandparents have suffered from Depression). In other cases, Depression can develop on its own after suffering an illness, injury, or surgery. Many people who suffer from Depression also experience symptoms such as sleep apnea. If any of these symptoms are present in your life, you should see your doctor to establish the cause of your Depression.
However, the cause of the Depression is rarely simple, black and white, and there can often be many different underlying factors. Your personality type can have an effect on whether or not you experience depression. People with low self esteem may feel very low when depressed; whereas, other people who have high self esteem are likely to experience high levels of depression if they are depressed. It is important to know what sort of person you are. If you feel low because you are feeling unattractive, then you may be suffering from generalized sadness rather than actual core symptoms of depression.
If you are not sure that you are suffering from Depression, then you are at great risk of self-harming. Even if you feel depressed, if you are in a state of shock, you can end up hurting yourself, as you will mistake your own feelings of sadness for that of being sad. If you have a history of self-harm or other mood disorders, you are more likely to be at risk of self-injury; but, even if you do not, self-harm is still a possibility. Depression can be a major depressive disorder, especially if you are prone to react adversely to stress, and experience frequent mood swings.
If you experience repeated episodes of sadness, then you may have a recurrent depressive disorder. There may be underlying physical causes for your recurrent episodes, but if your Doctor thinks you may be suffering from Depression, he or she will refer you to an internal medicine specialist, for a diagnosis of Depression. The treatment for a recurrent episode of Depression can be very different to that for a single episode of Depression.
If you suffer from a single episode of depression and no other mood disorders, then you are likely to be diagnosed with Major Depression. Major Depression can last for long periods of time, but the symptoms usually come and go within a few weeks. People who have a history of Major Depression are more likely to have a persistent problem. You may also have a history of alcohol or drug use, which can be used to diagnose Major Depression. In some cases, the cause of continuous mood disorder is unknown; however, in most cases, Major Depression is caused by biological and mental problems, such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
If you do not fit one of the above conditions, you are probably suffering from a mild form of Depression. In this case, your doctor might recommend some form of talk therapy, medication, or diet. A number of non-drug therapies are available that help alleviate some of the symptoms of depression and improve quality of life. Even if your Doctor feels that you should take the medication, there are some natural remedies that can make the condition more bearable without using drugs
Depression affects everyone at different rates, so if you are feeling down you are probably not alone. If you find that you are feeling down a lot and don’t know why, you should seek help. Depression is serious business and if left untreated it can leave you feeling worn out, sad, hopeless, and even suicidal. However, if you find that you are suffering from Depression, the chances are good that your symptoms are mild, and you should try to see a doctor. Although there are no cures for Depression, you can take steps to keep Depression from disrupting your life.