What is Psychological Depression?

It is one of the most common and most serious mental health problems facing people today. Psychological depression can interfere with a person's ability to function effectively throughout the day or even to have the motivation to get out of bed in the morning and it is in fact so common that over 1 in 5 Americans can expect to get some form of depression in their lifetime.

The causes behind depression are complex and not yet fully understood but we are able to treat it much more effectively because we have a better understanding of the causes of clinical depression.

The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you, and what causes it. Unfortunately, many people do not recognize that depression is a treatable illness. Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment; although the great majority, even those whose depression is extremely severe can be helped. This condition is so common that over 1 in 5 Americans can expect to get some form of depression in their lifetime.

Symptoms of major depression include at least five of the following symptoms (at least one must include the first and second listed below) and they must be present nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks: Persistent depressed mood, including feelings of emptiness or sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness, insomnia, early morning awakening or oversleeping, change in eating (either loss or increased appetite), decreased energy, fatigue or feeling slowed down, restlessness and irritability, difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, thoughts of suicide or death, persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders or chronic pain. A less severe type of depression, Dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good.

The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The guidelines for diagnosis of major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder are found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM IV). The depressed mood must persist for greater than two weeks in order to warrant this diagnosis.

The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression. If a diagnosis of depression is made, treatment with medication and/or psychotherapy will help the depressed person return to a happier, more fulfilling life. Most do best with combined treatment: medication to gain relatively quick symptom relief and psychotherapy to learn more effective ways to deal with life's problems, including depression.

Psychological depression is not something you can just "snap out of", it is a serious medical condition that affects the chemistry of the brain. With the appropriate medical treatment the vast majority of people of suffer from its effects can live depression free lives.

Andrew Bicknell is a writer, webmaster, and the owner of Depression and You. Visit his website for more information about psychological depression and other depressive disorders.

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Teenage Depression - Statistics

There are numerous sources of information quoting statistics of the prevalence of teenage depression and these statistics appear to be increasing every year. But what is the value of knowing the grim reality facing the youth of our generation. Well historical statistics will indicate that teen depression was almost unheard of about 15 years ago, yet today the average statistics seem to indicate that a staggering 20% of teenagers will experience depression before they reach 18. One could argue that lack of knowledge and awareness of the signs and symptoms of teenage depression may have resulted in many teens being undiagnosed and simply labelled 'typical' teenagers. But extensive research and statistical evidence have brought this growing problem to the forefront of mental health programmes worldwide. Statistics of teen depression, regardless of how disturbing, helps us to recognize that it is a problem shared by many and has resulted in a growing resource of help and support.

An even more unsettling statistic is that out of the 20% of teens that experience depression, only 33% receive help or follow through on the recovery process. Educational and awareness campaigns are aimed at family and friends as well as depressed teens themselves in order to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases of teen depression, as research indicates that 80% of teenagers who access the appropriate services can be successfully treated. Given the evidence of success of appropriate treatment and intervention, it is sad that the statistics report about 90% of suicide cases to be linked to depression or other mental conditions, especially when approximately 1 million American teens attempt to commit suicide every year.

Another useful outcome of statistical research into the prevalence of teen depression is that it highlights key precipitators or risk factors in the teen population. For example, the evidence suggests that girls are twice more likely to experience depression than boys. There is also evidence of a small percentage of teenagers that suffer from seasonal depression, usually during winter months and in higher latitudes. Also, in almost 50% of teen depression cases there is a family history of depression or other mental condition. These statistics have resulted in mental health programmes and awareness campaigns being more focused to reach more vulnerable groups.

These statistics tell us that parents, as well as teenagers themselves need to be aware of the risk of depression in individuals who endure intense emotional or social difficulties, or have experienced recent trauma or loss. It is also important to be aware that 70% of teens who do suffer with depression will have more than one episode before adulthood. By recognizing the signs and symptoms of depression early, friends and family of the depressed teen can assist him or her to seek help early and provide the invaluable support in the teenager's time of need. This will be the key to lowering the unsettling statistics of teen depression in the future.

The must read book: "All you wanted to know about Teen Depression", is available at: [http://www.depression-teenage.com] Anne Ross is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Crises facilitator, Cranial Sacral and Myofascial Therapist, including various other Massage/Body/Energy techniques, but above all she is a mother. She is an accredited member of the Traditional-Medicine Society and the Association of Transactional Analysis.

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Difference Between Psychotic and Neurotic Depression

There are so many forms of depression. Neurotic depression is another form of depression that is observed in people. It is also known as dysthymia disorder. It is a chronic form of depression and is distinguished by the frames of mind that are constantly low however it is not as severe as the other forms of depression. Psychotic depression is the most dangerous form of depression. People that suffer from this form of depression experience the problems like Hallucination and Delusions. Hallucination causes problems in vision and hearing problems. Delusion causes fears and development of negative thoughts in human minds.

Difference between Psychotic and neurotic depression

The cause of Neurotic depression is completely unknown. So many researches have been done to identify the reason of neurotic disorders but none of the research has been successful. This form of depression is not as severe as other forms of depression. It causes depressed mood, hopelessness and despair almost everyday. It is mostly observed in women as compared with men. It can also occur in children as well. The cause of Psychotic depression is also unknown. However few researches have shown that it has something to do with hormonal changes. Hormone named Cortical is the main cause of psychotic depressions that normally leads to stress. It is also not a severe form of depression but should be cured in time. Neurotic depression generally affects four to five percent of general population. It can easily be cured by the help of medicines prescribed by the specialist. It may persist for years if not cured at the right time. In case of this type of depression consulting with a specialist is a wise decision.

Other causes of Neurotic depression

1. Appetite problem, you tend to overeating or less eating.

2. Sleeping problems

3. Your energy level gets low.

4. Ability to Concentrate gets affected

5. Poor self admiration.

Other causes of Psychotic depression

1. Sleeping problems

2. It plays a huge role to get you in the state of Anxiety.

3. You tend to loose the ability to move.

4. Your ears and eyes do not work normally.

Neurotic depression can be cured easily both by medicines and psychotherapy. Medicine that is frequently used to get rid of this disorder is Fluoxetine (Prozac). Along with medicines talk therapies are also very much used to cure this disorder. It has been observed that the interpersonal and behavioral therapies have been a great help in Neurotic depression. Psychotic depression can be cured by antidepressants. Antipsychotic drugs and antidepressants are greatly helpful in the treatment of this type of depression. Trained professionals also use ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) technology to treat psychotic depression. People have found it really very good that have been through ECT. The recovery from psychotic depression takes more than one year time, but the result is always satisfying. Neurotic depression also takes almost the same amount of time. The results in case of neurotic depression are also very good.

Do you want to discover more about depression? Drop us a visit and find out more articles about topics such as agitated depression and alcoholism depression.

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Depression - When Depression Strikes and How to Cope With It!

Depression is a simple reaction due to lack of control or monotony. People get depressed when they experience financial constraints or losing a loved one. But there are people who have genetic predispositions when it comes to depression.

Varying degrees of chronic depressed moods are caused by chemical imbalances that happen in the brain. Hormonal changes can also prompt depression while seasonal cycles can trigger depressive moods. Most persons who are suffering from a physical illness also get depressed.

Depression is an example of mood disorders. Other examples of mood disorders are dysthymia, postpartum disorder, and bipolar disorder. A person with manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, experiences periods of extreme highs (or happiness) that is followed by extreme lows (or sadness). Clinical depression is a mood disorder that is considered as long-term depression while seasonal affective disorder relates to the cyclical mode's seasons.

Every year, more and more people are seeking for medical help to treat their depression disorders. The stigma of being depressed becomes less but more people are already claiming that they are experiencing the symptoms of depressed person.

Various types of drugs are already available to help treat people suffering from clinical and manic depression. There are also medical doctors who give prescriptions to these types of drugs to their patients who claim that they are suffering from depression. The problem is, most of these doctors just give prescriptions without even performing psychiatric tests to determine of the person is really eligible to take such drugs.

People who think that they are suffering from depression should consult a psychologist. It is the psychologist's role to determine what kind of therapy is needed by the person suffering from depression. After being diagnosed by the psychologist, the services of a psychiatrist could also be needed. It is the psychiatrist who gives the prescription on the drugs that will help in balancing the chemical imbalances in the brain. Depressed people can easily be treated with the help of medicines and series of therapy sessions in order to help the person determine cause of their depression.

There are two ways to treat persons with mood disorders like depression. The traditional way is the recommendation made by the psychologist or psychiatrist which includes giving prescriptions for antidepressants and conducting a psychological counseling. The alternative way refers to the use of natural remedies such as taking supplements and herbal medicines, acupuncture, exercise therapy, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, talk therapy, and 5-senses therapy.

Different types of treatment can help treat persons with mood disorders. However, it should be remembered that the treatment applied to a person would also work with the other person. For example, the walk therapy which is a 30-minute walk everyday gives an immediate result to a person's lift in mood. But when the same treatment is applied in St. John's Wort, the result became visible after a few days time. This only shows that each person is really different from another. What might be applicable on a person's situation may not be the case with the other.

Irene Loch is a well known teacher of Kinesiology, for more information click on:-

Understanding the Problems

Finding the Solutions

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