Depression is an extremely common mood disorder. In fact, when used in combination with anxiety, depression is the most frequent emotional disorder in England - experienced by nearly 10 percent of the country's population (according to The Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2009).
The reason why depression and anxiety are typically put together in surveys and investigations like this is because anxiety can be systematic of depression. That is to say, that those diagnosed with depression may sometime display a tendency towards bouts of anxiety such as panic attacks.
With that said, depression may conversely be classed as a manifestation of a panic or anxiety disorder. As you can imagine, this can subsequently make diagnosis difficult. In addition, the range of indicators pertaining to depression is very long and arguably obscure. By way of example, symptoms may include sleep issues, feeling wretched and teary, poor self image, short temperedness, lack of sex drive and weight loss or weight gain.
However, we all experience a number of these problems during our lifetime. Would this imply that all of us are depressed? Leading on from this, when is it advisable consult a doctor? These are all legitimate questions. After all, how many times have you thought or even said aloud, "I feel depressed." And yet feeling depressed and suffering from clinical depression are not the same thing.
So where does the distinction lie and what should you do if you think you might be suffering from depression? Well, first of all, you should calculate the frequency with which you truly feel these negative emotions. For instance, feeling teary-eyed from time to time is not unusual. However, if you were to suffer from several of these symptoms consistently over a two week period, then it would be advisable to seek a consultation your GP.
The ideal method for how your depression is targeted will differ with respect to its seriousness. Just like the signs and symptoms of depression, you cannot pinpoint one absolute root cause of depression. There's some mounting belief of an inherited basis to manic depression (also known as bi-polar disorder). However, this is not really the case with the depression that we're examining in this article. Having said that, if there's a family history of depression then the probability that you too will suffer from depression increases.
Further triggers for depression may include a sudden or unexpected shake-up to your everyday life. To illustrate, a relationship breakdown, house move or even starting a new job can potentially play a role in the development of symptoms. There are, of course, other ways in which depression can manifest itself, that aren't related to such "life events". For instance, in a number of situations, drug use and even prescription drugs can lead to depression. In addition, there's been a connection proven regarding food and frame of mind, which implies that the foods you eat could impact on levels of depression - a connection wittingly dubbed "food and mood". In a similar vein, there has been a link established through mood and exercise, which has long been said to raise endorphin levels. These can produce feelings of a euphoric high in the participant, thereby suggesting that exercise can, to a certain degree, be a way to stave off depression.
Once you have sought help, you doctor should provide you with an assessment into your state of mind. Your analysis ought to take note of your past health and not just your ongoing wellbeing. From this point your doctor should offer you proper treatment as best fits your type of depression. Truth be told, anti-depressants have become the most commonly provided form of treatment, primarily selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Although their overall performance is shown as clinically significant when relieving more extreme kinds of depression, there are a lot of non-medicated treatments which have been rising in popularity for treating more generalised types of depression. These include group therapy and cognitive therapy (CBT), which provides a way of breaking down major issues into smaller problems and talking through them.
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