Everyone feels depressed at times but are often confused as to what exactly is causing it and which type of depression it is and further how will it be treated. Many people who experience depression can be said to be on a continuum where on one side we have what's called "The blues" and this is associated with a mild depression. As we move across the continuum, we move towards what's called a neurotic depression and at the opposite end is severe depression, sometimes called a Psychotic depression. This is where the individual has great difficulty dealing with reality and ususallly shows delusions of grandeur believing they are Rod Stewart, David Beckham or some other film or TV / sporting icon. A psychotic is someone who is detached from reality , but by contrast a neurotic is someone who is rational in contact with the real world but has a tendency to be of a nervous disposition daily.
We make a distinction between two main types of depression, reactive depression- when we react to a loss in our lives, death of a relative or a job loss. It's also called exogenous depression as its external to the self. The other type of depression is called endogenous depression meaning that it's caused by something internal usually a disturbance within brain chemistry which is corrected by medication.
Depression affects all age groups but symptoms depends on the age of the sufferer. Those born after 1960 are ten times more likely to become depressed than their grandparents. Depression is clinically referred to as mood disorders as they affect our mood state and emotions.We experience mood states which can vary from day to day, but sometimes our moods can be influenced by internal or external events. How we interpret the broken relationship of a family member or even ourselves will be influenced by our cognitive processes inside our brain. At one extreme is bi-polar disorder (manic disorder) where the individual has wild exhuberant and unrealistic activity. At the other end of the continuum he/she may show the depressive disorder. Mania usually occurs in conjunction with depression and in such cases is called Bipolar disorder.
Clinical depression is also called Unipolar disorder and it's one of the UK's leading health problems. It's more common in women more so than men and in teenage males more than teenage females. Symptoms of depression falls into four categories: External Symptoms: The person will feel hopeless , helpless, sad, miserable, anxious worried useless and guilty.
Cognitive symptoms: Depressed people have low self esteem and believe in a hopeless future. They also show symptoms of Low Motivation where they cannot be bothered getting out of bed in the mornings, feel tired most of the time, they dress shabbily sometimes and this undermines work and social behaviour.
Physical symptoms. In moderate and severe depression there is a loss of appetite. In mild depression there is a tendency to eat excessive amounts of carbohydrates,sleep disturbances are also common and the person may become preoccupied with health and sometimes loses interest in sex.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION
Clinical depression is defined by a persistent low mood for at least two weeks plus five of the following:
1. Poor appetite or weight loss or increased appetite /weight gain (a change of 0.5 kg per week over many weeks)
2. Insomnia- sleeping difficulty or sleeping longer, hypersomnia.
3. Loss of energy or tiredness to the point of being unable to make a simple decision.
4. An observable slowing down or agitation, people who wring their hands together, pace around with no reason.
5. A significant decrease in involvement in regular activities once enjoyed.
6. Feelings of self reproach or inappropriate guilt
7. Complaints or evidence of diminished ability to think, focus or concentrate.
8. Recurrent suicidal thoughts and thoughts of death,no specific plans for suicide, but occasionally thinking of it.
( Adapted from Spitzer 1981)
If you experience five or more of these for over two weeks contact your GP.