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Depression
What is depression?
Depression is a serious a medical illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.
It is more than feeling “down in the dumps” for a few days because of some difficulty in
your life. It involves feeling helpless, hopeless and sad for weeks at a time.
What are common symptoms of depression?
• Persistent Sadness
• Overwhelmed
• Excessive sleep or difficulty sleeping
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Extreme difficulty concentrating
• Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
• Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, inappropriate guilt
• Inactivity and/or isolation
• Change in appetite
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty enjoying activities that normally make you happy, including sex
What are the common types of depression?
Major depression—Individual experiences a combination of symptoms that prevents
normal functioning, ability to work, eat, sleep. May be situational or reoccurring.
Dysthymia—a milder long-term form of depression. It can prevent individual from
normal functioning.
Other forms of depression include postpartum or menopausal depression and
seasonal affective disorder.
Who are susceptible to having depression?
Everyone: children, adolescents, teens, women, men, and older adults
What often co-exist with depression?
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• Childhood events like abuse or neglect
• Chronic stress
• Death of a friend or relative
• Disappointment at home, work, or school
• High blood pressure medications
• Medical conditions—underactive thyroid, cancer, hepatitis, hormonal problems
• Nutritional deficiencies such as foliates and omega-3 fatty acids
• Overly negative thoughts
• Prolonged pain or major illness
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Social isolation
• Serious medical illnesses—heart, stroke, cancer, HIV/aids, diabetes, Parkinsons
• Aging
What causes depression?
No single cause known it is a combination of genetic, biochemical, physiological
environment, and psychological
What treatment has been found effective?
• Diagnosis by a physician and/or psychotherapist is necessary to determine severity.
• A combination of medication and psychotherapy is best for major depression.
• For less severe depression, psychotherapy may be the best treatment.
• Cognitive-behavioral-therapy and interpersonal therapy. Used at Wellspring.
For more information: Visit Healthline or National Institute of Mental Health
websites
What is depression?
Depression is a serious a medical illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.
It is more than feeling “down in the dumps” for a few days because of some difficulty in
your life. It involves feeling helpless, hopeless and sad for weeks at a time.
What are common symptoms of depression?
• Persistent Sadness
• Overwhelmed
• Excessive sleep or difficulty sleeping
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Extreme difficulty concentrating
• Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
• Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, inappropriate guilt
• Inactivity and/or isolation
• Change in appetite
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty enjoying activities that normally make you happy, including sex
What are the common types of depression?
Major depression—Individual experiences a combination of symptoms that prevents
normal functioning, ability to work, eat, sleep. May be situational or reoccurring.
Dysthymia—a milder long-term form of depression. It can prevent individual from
normal functioning.
Other forms of depression include postpartum or menopausal depression and
seasonal affective disorder.
Who are susceptible to having depression?
Everyone: children, adolescents, teens, women, men, and older adults
What often co-exist with depression?
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• Childhood events like abuse or neglect
• Chronic stress
• Death of a friend or relative
• Disappointment at home, work, or school
• High blood pressure medications
• Medical conditions—underactive thyroid, cancer, hepatitis, hormonal problems
• Nutritional deficiencies such as foliates and omega-3 fatty acids
• Overly negative thoughts
• Prolonged pain or major illness
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Social isolation
• Serious medical illnesses—heart, stroke, cancer, HIV/aids, diabetes, Parkinsons
• Aging
What causes depression?
No single cause known it is a combination of genetic, biochemical, physiological
environment, and psychological
What treatment has been found effective?
• Diagnosis by a physician and/or psychotherapist is necessary to determine severity.
• A combination of medication and psychotherapy is best for major depression.
• For less severe depression, psychotherapy may be the best treatment.
• Cognitive-behavioral-therapy and interpersonal therapy. Used at Wellspring.
For more information: Visit Healthline or National Institute of Mental Health
websites
