We all experience sadness because it is a normal emotional response to difficult circumstances. Sadness usually passes over after some time. However, depression has a significant negative impact on our emotions and how we act and think.
It is important to note that depression is a common and severe mood disorder, which affects both the person suffering from depression and their loved ones. Depression can affect women, children, and men alike. The medical term for depression is “clinical depression” or depressive disorder.
The worst way of dealing with someone with depression is to view it as a sign of weakness or a flaw. Clinical depression is a real illness, and one cannot simply “snap out of it,” in most cases, treatment and proper management are required to get better. Alternative treatments like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has shown to be affective against depression.
Depression causes a significant imbalance in mind and body of the person suffering from it. Hormones are in a state of imbalance, and the brain’s physiology altered, which can impact patients emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Symptoms Of Depression
Depression can be more than just constantly feeling sad or “blue.” The signs and symptoms of depression can affect your body and your mood or emotions. It is also common for the symptoms to come and go in phases.
The signs of depression in men, women, and children differ slightly. It is also important to remember that depression can affect people in different ways, and not everyone has the same signs and symptoms of depression.
Symptoms of depression in men
- Excessive anger, aggressiveness, anxiousness, restlessness, irritability
- Feeling of emptiness, hopelessness, feeling sad
- Loss of interest, feeling tired easily, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, suicidal thoughts, excessive drinking or using drugs, engaging in high-risk activities
- Changes in sexual desire and a decline in sexual performance
- Lack of focus or the inability to concentrate, delayed responses during conversations, difficulty completing tasks
- Disturbed sleep cycles, cause insomnia, excessive sleepiness, or restless sleep
- Fatigue, digestive problems, headache, shoulder, and neck pains
Symptoms of depression in women
- Irritability
- Feelings of emptiness or sadness, feeling hopeless or anxious
- Lack of interest, suicidal thoughts, withdrawing from social engagements
- Slowing down of thinking or talking
- Difficulty falling asleep or sleeping through the night, excessive sleeping, waking up early
- A decrease in energy, greater fatigue, changes in appetite, weight changes, aches, pain, headaches, and increased cramps
Symptoms of depression in children
- Mood swing, irritability, crying, anger
- Feelings of despair or incompetence, intense sadness
- Suicidal thoughts or thinking about death, refusing to go to school, avoiding friends or siblings, having trouble at school
- A decline in school performance, lack of focus, difficulty concentrating
- Sleeping too much or too less
- Digestive problems, changes in appetite (eating too much or too little), lack of energy
Types of Depression
- Major depression
- Persistent depressive disorder
- Psychotic depression
- Postpartum depression
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Bipolar disorder
Common Causes of Depression
- Family History: People with a family history of depression are at a higher risk
- Childhood Trauma: Early childhood trauma can lead to depression later in life
- Brain Structure: People whose frontal lobe of the brain is less active have a higher risk of having depression
- Medical Condition: Some medical conditions can increase the risk of having depression
- Drug Abuse: People with a history of alcohol or drug abuse have a higher risk
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