Depression is a topic being raised quite a bit in these past few years, especially since the impacts of COVID-19 took place. Everyone was locked indoors with nothing to do, and among the millions of people, many lost their loved ones to the pandemic. If you are a person affected by depression or not, a loss of a loved one most certainly gets even the strongest people depressed. Depression, according to the WHO, is known to affect 264 million people globally. 

Being strong and healthy is important in allowing a person to enjoy life to the fullest, not only in his/her personal life but also professionally. People who are strong mentally have more focus on the task they have, making their performance efficient and effective. Psychiatrists over the years have done a lot of research on mental health, providing patients with new techniques to fight diseases like depression and anxiety, so in this blog, we will look at what depression is and how it affects our lifestyle.

What Is Depression?

One thing that needs to be cleared out is that feeling “sad” doesn’t mean you are depressed. The feeling of sadness is one of the symptoms seen if one is depressed. So let’s get straight to the point! Depression is more of a disease or disorder affecting the way a person thinks or does anything. This disorder can stay for a long period, which is what we need to avoid.

A person with depression slowly loses interest in doing anything, even the things he loves. This mental disorder also shows its symptoms on the physical aspect of the person as well as a result, negatively impacting the life of the individual.

The condition of depression has been among humankind for centuries before the causes of depression were believed to be caused by an imbalance of body fluids, where the Romans named the disorder “melancholia”. The treatments back then were also quite harsh, as the ones affected were isolated from the society and in extreme cases killed in disturbing ways. Later on, in the 1900s with the advancements in science, depression was understood to be caused by other reasons and the subject was looked at from a different angle.

Leading Causes Of Depression

The common misconception about depression is that people think it is simple to just “get over it”, the causes of the disorder are beyond that. Another thing to keep in mind is that even though two people may be suffering from depression, the reasons for their issues can be different. Here are the most common issues leading people to a state of depression.

Brain

The brain is the hub of the human body, and it consists of different parts. It manages our mood through chemical reactions, nerve signals. Different regions of the brain cause different moods and reactions to certain situations. It is believed these parts of the brain may be responsible for depressive symptoms.

Genes

We might seem to run away from believing this, but yes, depression is also known to be passed down by genes. People who are genetically vulnerable to depression may find themselves in a dull mood quite often.

Stressful Events

The harsh reality of life is that you are bound to face a heartbreaking event in your lifespan. People who are sensitive to such events may find themselves in a depressive state for a long time. 

Medical Issues

Being deficient in Vitamin B12 and also facing cancer causes depression.

Medicine Side-effects

Patients consuming steroids, or blood pressure medications are also known to face depression as a result.

Neurotransmitter

The brain produces neurotransmitters for communicating with other parts of the body. Actions like, memory and emotion are controlled by neurotransmitters. Any imbalance of chemicals like dopamine and serotonin also causes depression.

Substance Abuse

Depression and substance use like drugs and alcohol, go side by side. Overusing drugs and alcohol are known to trigger depressive responses. An estimated 30% of people with substance abuse are also known to be in a state of depression. 

Signs Of Depression

There are many signs that someone might be suffering from depression:

Fatigue-In many cases it is seen that people suffering from depression find it hard to have a good night’s sleep. Having the feeling of drained energy levels is quite common in a person suffering from depression. No matter how well you are rested, being depressed lower energy levels throughout the day. 

Appetite and weight-People react to depression through changes in their diets as well. For some, depression causes them to consume significantly fewer calories than they used to, which reduces their weight at an alarming rate. Some do the opposite, and can’t stop eating. This causes obesity and cardiovascular diseases due to a lack of energy. 

Acting slowly-Another sign of depression is that people “slow down” in their minds which is also seen through their actions on the outside. In this case, people will be seen walking slowly or talking slowly while communicating.

Aches and pains-People experiencing depression feel pain to high degrees and also develop a low tolerance for the pain as well. Back pain and muscle pain are commonly noticed in depressed people.

Curing Depression

If the state of depression is at a high level, then speaking to a professional is the best way to go. However, there are some ways to cure the disorder by yourself, which you can follow in your daily lives. It all depends on how severe the depression is.

Self-care

If you are feeling down for the past few days, then you should switch up your routine. Spend time exercising and taking part in other physical activities, develop a healthy diet, develop a better sleeping schedule, and stay connected with friends or family.

Talking Therapy

If you are someone facing mild depression, then therapies like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and other counseling sessions with professionals help out a lot. The therapists promote you to talk about your issues with them, and letting everything out makes the patient feel better in the end.

Medicine

Medication is a quick cure, but we would suggest doing this if the disorder has gotten out of hand. Professionals prescribe people medications in the required dosage to tackle the issue.

Don’t Hide It, Get Help Now!

Being in a state of depression for a long time has great side effects. So one mistake that you shouldn’t make is keeping the issue to yourself. You either act quickly, or talk to your family, friends, and professional psychiatrists.

Reference Links: https://clvpsych.com/acute-chronic-depression-treatment.html

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