Depression

Good Morning Healthy-Clues Readers,

Did you know that depressive disorders affect 9.5% of people over 18 years of age? It’s true. While depression has had a long standing stigma associated with it, depression is a medical illness that should be taken seriously. Depression is more than just feeling sad; it can be a debilitating disorder that not only affects you mentally but it can affect you physically. Because depression can hit especially hard around the holidays, Healthy-Clues is going to do something a little different this week.

This week the Healthy-Clues blog is going to focus on depression. We will give you an overview of what depression really is and highlight Dr. Andrea L. Dunn, PhD and her work on exercise and depression.

What is Depression?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , a manual used to diagnose depression and other mental disorders, an individual with depression has five or more of the symptoms below for more than a two week period of time.

Symptoms of Depression

• Sleeping a lot or having difficulty sleeping
• Loss of interest and depressed mood
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Fatigue and loss of energy daily
• Feeling like you can’t concentrate
• Change in weight, either weight gain or loss
• Difficulty with day to day activities
• A sense of restlessness
• Thoughts of suicide

Women are more likely to suffer from depression than men. Depression usually starts during adolescence.

Types of Depression

There are different types of depression that can affect people in different ways.

• Major Depressive Disorder is the most common form of depression and prevents you from functioning normally.
• Bipolar Disorder , previously called manic depression, is a mood disorder that alternates between periods of depression and periods of mania.
• Dysthymia is chronic depression and less severe but can last for two years or more.
• Cyclothymia is a mild form of Bipolar Disorder.

Other Forms of Depression

• Seasonal Depression affects individuals at the same time of year, usually in the winter.
• Psychotic Depression is when an individual as delusional thoughts and symptoms of psychosis.
• Postpartum Depression is more than just the baby blues and is brought on by hormonal changes and the stress of having a new baby.

Treatment of Depression

Getting treatment for depression is incredibly important. Because of the stigma associated with depression, many people do not seek proper medical attention. Many individuals think that they can or should “just get over it” or that they are “not a crazy person.” Sometimes they hear this from well-meaning family members who don’t recognize the severity of the sadness. Individuals with depression cannot simply “get over” their depression. Depression requires treatment to successfully manage or overcome the depression. Failing to get treatment can result in relapse, continued limitations on the person’s daily life and interactions with others, work impairment, continued thoughts of suicide and increased substance abuse.

Depression can be treated with

• Medication
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Or Combination of the two

For more information about depression visit
WebMD Depression Center
National Institute of Mental Health

Be sure to check back on Wednesday when Healthy-Clues will highlight Klein Buendel's Senior Scientist, Andrea Dunn, PhD and her research on depression and exercise.