Essay Depression

Depression Essay
Depression is a very big topic to discuss. The most commonly asked questions are: What is
depression, and what disorders are related to depression? How common is depression? Is it serious?
What treatment is used? And, What kind of symptoms should a person be looking for?
Depression is more than the everyday ups and downs. You know when a person is depressed when
their sad feelings interfere with their everyday life. Depression doesn't only affect feelings, but can
change behavior, physical health and appearance, academic performance, social activities, and the
ability to make decisions that are face every day. The causes of depression are still unknown, but
researchers have found a genetic link between most depressive disorders....show more content...
People who don't think that teens could suffer from depression are wrong, depression can affect
people of any age, race, ethnic or economic group. One out of every twenty–five teens suffers from
depression. Depression can be very serious. It has been noted that depression can be linked to poor
school performance, alcohol and drug abuse, running away, and feelings of worthlessness and
hopelessness. Over the past twenty–five years, researchers have found that the rate of suicide among
teenagers and young adults has increased dramatically. Suicide is often linked to depression. Some
say that talking about depression only makes it worse. The truth is that talking to someone about
your feelings can help you realize that professional help is needed. By showing concern and
support, you can encourage someone to talk to a trusted person. Depression is treatable. Between
eighty and ninety percent of people with depression can be helped. For the more serious cases of
depression antidepressant medications and psychotherapies can be used. For the milder, less serious
cases, psychotherapy may be enough by itself. Antidepressants are used for symptom relief and
psychotherapy is used to learn more effective ways to deal with everyday problems through talking.
In most cases psychotherapy is done in ten to twenty week sessions. Therapists focus on the patients'
disturbed personal relationships. In cases where the patients' symptoms don't progress with in
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Depression and Anxiety Essay example
Many people feel apprehensive and miserable every now and then, but when does it take over
their whole lives? Losing a loved one, doing poorly in school or work, being bullied and other
hardships might lead a person to feel sad, lonely, scared, nervous and/or anxious. Some people
experience this on an everyday basis, sometimes even or no reason at all. Those people might have an
anxiety disorder, depression, or both. It is highly likely for someone with an anxiety disorder to also
be suffering from depression, or the other way around. 50% of those diagnosed with depression are
also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
What is depression?
"Depression is a condition in which a person feels discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated or...show
more content...
The best, effective, treatment for this is antidepressant medication.
Dysthymic Disorder causes you to have a low mood for as long as a year, sometimes even longer.
What this means is that you will feel sad a lot of the time. The symptoms you would experience
would be sadness, feeling tired very often, changes in eating habits, and changes in sleeping habits.
About 2% of the American population has this type of depression. The best treatment would be
therapy as opposed to medication, although combining the two might result in a faster improvement.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) takes place during the winter weather, this is due to the
lessening of the sunlight during those months. The symptoms include lack of energy, eating more
than you would usually, sleeping more and gaining weight. People are diagnosed after they have
had these symptoms present during the winter for more than 2 years. This type of disorder can be
treated with artificial light treatment. During light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a
light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.
Bipolar Disorder used to be known as "manic depression", because the person experiences
depression, normal mood and mania, which is basically the opposite of depression. Symptoms for
Bipolar Disorder include feeling great, having a lot of energy, having racing thoughts, little need for
sleep, taking fast, having difficulty focusing on tasks and

Depression Research Papers
Depression is a state of despondency marked by feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness.
Depression reflects a sad and/or irritable mood exceeding typical grief or sadness. Furthermore,
such sadness of depression is characterized by a greater intensity and duration. People tend to see
themselves as failing even if they are not. Depression is one of the most prevalent emotional
problems. External experiences often initiate depression. For example, problems of financial nature,
a loss of a loved one, a serious illness, difficulties in the relationship, or any other uninvited changes
in life can cause a depressive episode. According to medicinenet.com, "a combination of genetic,
psychological, and environmental factors is involved in the...show more content...
An imbalance or deficiency of the neurotransmitters, serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine are
implicated in depression, although it may be a change in receptor function, and not
neurotransmitter concentration, that causes depression. (www.brainexplorer.com) Depressive
signs and symptoms are characterized not only by negative thoughts, moods, and behaviors but
also by specific changes in bodily functions such as crying spells, body aches, as well as problems
with eating, weight, and sleeping, and low energy or libido. Depression affects all aspects of one's
life. A depressed person is more likely to be in the dark, gloomy mood at all times of the day. They
often are sleep deprived persons with low self–esteem and self–confidence. Depressed people feel
sad, lonely, find it difficult to complete their daily tasks because of fatigue, and typically complain a
lot. Because of the depression, persons can may insensitive remarks to their partners, be angry or
uncaring, and often completely withdraw from the relationship. Depression negatively affects
relationships because the partners of the depressed suffer when someone they love gives nothing
back but negativity. Partners find it more difficult to connect to their depressed loved ones in
everyday life or in spirit. Therefore, untreated

Depression Paper
Assignment: Depression Paper
Stress and situational depression are seen as just a part of life. As people grow and experience life
they encounter events that trigger stress and signs of depression. These events can include changes
in the professional world, death, and academics. Changes in mood such as these are temporary, and
are pretty common. Aside from these normal occurrences actual depression, or clinical depression,
is seen in 1 in 10 Americans. Clinical depression is a mental illness that that can prohibit normal
daily functioning. In this assignment I will examine two forms of clinical depression, unipolar, and
bipolar depression. Depression can be so debilitating that it can cause a person to become suicidal.
This...show more content...
>Causes of depression, p.4 1) have at a much more elevated chance of developing depression.
There are a number of therapies that are available for the treatment of unipolar disorder, some more
effective than others, just depends on the degree of depression. Probably one of the most
controversial, but also deemed effective biological treatments is Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In
ECT, the patient is subjected to induction of seizure through controlled electric shock, under
anesthesia. The process itself is under scrutiny because it is not entirely understood, which is main a
reason why it is only considered in the direst of cases. ECT tends to have severe physical health
risks and with the introduction of newer and less harmful antidepressant drugs, it is being used far
less often (Comer, 2005). This new class of drugs includes three main types; monoamine oxidase
(MAOI) inhibitors, tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
All three types have proven to be effective, but SSRIs probably the most commonly recommended,
mainly due to the smaller body of side effects they have shown. SSRIs function by balancing the
brain's neurotransmitters. They increase serotonin and norepinephrine levels (Comer,2005). There
are a vast number of other treatment options that are on the market, most of which are just not as
commonly prescribed. Studies have shown that drug treatments are most effective when used in
conjunction

Essay on Depression
Depression
The complex topic of depression can be looked at from various perspectives. Two such perspectives
are the biological view and the psychological view. The main focus of this paper will be from the
biological side.
The symptoms of mental illness creep over you like a cold damp fog. The number of people at
probable risk of depression is climbing, up from 5.2 percent in 1994/95 to 7.1 percent in 2000/01
(Hawaleshka, 38). One particular subject, Sarah Hamid started feeling the symptoms of depression
at age 18. Sarah got to the point where she was sleeping 12–16 hours a day and crying
uncontrollably. "It got to the point where I was driving home one day and I really wanted to drive
the car over the yellow line into oncoming...show more content...
It is thought that because of the lack of chemicals, too few messages get transmitted between
neurons and depressive symptoms occur (Nestler, 1).
New technology allows researchers to take pictures of the brain that show activity levels in the brain.
These imagining techniques, such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (f–MRI) and Positron
Emission Tomography (PET), scan the brain. The scans create images which show the amount of
activity in different parts of the brain. Some studies with these kinds of techniques have suggested
that the patterns of activation in the brains of depressed people are different than those who are not.
These tests can help doctors and researchers lean more about depression and other mental illnesses
(Nestler, 2).
Failure to recognize and treat depressive disorder leaves the patient to suffer and to become a
costly user of health care services. Depression that is not treated significantly increases the risk of
mortality. Depressive disorders can also be linked to patients with Parkinson's disease, Dementia, or
Alzheimer's disease. Treatment of the depressive disorder may enable the patient to achieve better
functioning in activities, daily living; possibly to a degree that placement in a nursing facility may
be delayed or avoided (McCahill, 1).
Sarah Hamid got lucky in her case, because she knew she needed assistance with depression and
seeked help for it. Her doctor

Depression Essay
Depression Depression strikes millions of Canadians, estimating a range from zero to twenty–five
percent of the population and is becoming the most common illness in teens, varying from fourteen
to twenty–four years of age. The risk of a depressed teenager committing suicide is fifty times
higher then of a person who is not depressed. Depression is more than the blues; it is a medical
illness, which is as common as it is misunderstood. Society may be afraid or ashamed to seek help
or even to discuss about how they feel. Fortunately, depression is a highly treatable illness, that is
not a sign of personal failure. When people dismiss seeking professional help for this illness, they
suffer greatly in the long run and may be at risk of...show more content...
"These individuals will most commonly have symptoms, which start off gradually, but in others
cases; the person's symptoms may appear suddenly. Furthermore, warning signs that should not
be disregarded are any of the following, which has been proceeding for more then a duration of, a
couple of weeks"(Lader). The person shows signs of, persistent emptiness or excessive irritability,
loss of pleasure in ordinary activities (including sex), change in weight and sleep patterns,
difficulties concentrating and remembering or making decisions, decreased energy, fatigue and
feeling "slowed down", and chronic aches and pains that do not respond to treatment. In my
opinion, if depression is not treated, it can last many months or years, wreak havoc with your life
and can potentially lead to suicide. When dealing with depression, no one knows exactly what
causes this illness, but there are a number of variables, either alone or in combination, that can lead
to depression. Chemical imbalances are known for causing depression. "This is due to deficiencies
in at least two brain chemicals, Serotonin and Norepinephrine, which are associated with
depression" (Canadian Mental Health) Even though each case is complex, there appear to be
common situations that act as triggers for the event. I have first hand knowledge on the subject,
because I worked with adolescents, who are diagnosed with depressions. As well, I volunteered at a
group home, where some of the

Essay on Depression
"Mom is sad all the time. She cries a lot. Sometimes she doesn't get up in the morning. She stays in
bed until late in the afternoon with covers pulled up around her ears. At first I didn't worry. She'd
stay in bed for a day or two and then get up again, and I'd think she was better. But after a couple of
weeks, she didn't eat much any more, and she stayed in her room most of the time"...... "She has
something called depression" (DenBoer, Helen 1–2).
Most people today do not think that depression is an illness. In fact most people think that depression
is a moral failure. "Some 400,000 patients are treated for depression in the United States annually,
most as outpatients and most by non–psychiatric physicians" (Hollister, Leo E 80)....show more
content...
It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with
a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment,
symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years (National Institute of Mental Health). According to
the same report nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression.
Suicide, closely linked to depression, is the third leading cause of death in 10– to 24–year–olds.
Unfortunately, most people never seek treatment. "Left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can
worsen, lasting for years and causing untold suffering, and possibly even result in suicide" (National
Institute of Mental Health).
Depression is far more common than most people realize. "Two out of every 10 people are
clinically depressed. Approximately 23 percent of all adult women have had one major
depressive episode in their lifetime. Depression has touched the lives of some of the most
successful and brilliant men and women of our time. Sylvia Plath, Dick Cavett, Georgia O'Keeffe,
Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, and Abraham Lincoln all wrestled with depression" ((Myrna A.
Wallis 1). Douglas Jacobs, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who has devised national
screening programs for depression, says that the key difference between having sad feelings and a
true major depression is that sad feelings eventually pass.
Depression comes in many forms. Some of the

Teen Depression Essay
Depression is the most widespread mental illness in today's society. Studies have found that, 1 out
of 8 teens are affected with this disease. It also predominantly affects young ladies than it does
males. (www.kidshealth.org). Teens are at a position in their lives when they must face significant
transition and peer pressures. They are trying to identify with themselves and trying to figure out
where there puzzle piece fits in society, all of which can show the way to behavioral and emotional
changes. This is also a stage when families suffer from poor communication: teenagers often tend to
keep their feelings and concerns to themselves away from their parents and other authority figures.
Therefore, identifying depression in teenagers...show more content...
In teens signs of depression are much more irritable and in adults they feel a sense of sadness,
body pains such as headaches or stomachaches, Unable to take criticism and withdrawal from some
of their peers or even change their circle of friends and family members. In adults they seem to
withdrawal themselves from the world.
Dysthymia is another form of depression, but it's not as severe. This disorder can be a chronic
illness that is long lasting. Dysthymia occurs every day for one year or less in teens. Some of the
symptoms are fatigue, appetite deprivation and low self– esteem. The Primary Care Journal states
that dysthymia only affects 3 percent of the population and it is associated with functional
impairment. (www.en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/dysthymia). Individuals who are diagnosed with
dysthymia usually don't notice that they are experiencing depression. They are able to carry out their
daily lives.
Gender differences do have an effect on depression. Girls are more affected with depression than
boys because girls develop maturity earlier than boys. When young adolescence girls reach puberty
they grow to become more self –conscious of their self– imagine than boys. Boys are more
acceptable to their body change such as gaining weight or regaining muscles. In adolescence girls
they seem to always compare themselves to others and their never satisfied with their appearance.
This can lead to severe eating disorders

Abstract On Depression
Depression have become a major problem in our society today. People who haven't experience
depression will not understand how it feel and what it can do to a person. Many people also doesn't
understand what depression is, or how it can related to suicidal ideation. In fact, studies have
documented that the majority of young suicide victims had depression at the time of death and most
suicide survivors were diagnosed with symptoms of clinical depression at the time of their
attempt (Mojs, Biederman, GЕ‚owacka, Strzelecki, Ziemska, Samborski 2015). It can affect
anyone, from young adolescents to college students to the elderly people. There are many reasons
that can make someone have major depression. Such as financial problems, family problems,
social problems, school, work, etc. These stressors in our daily life can cause anxiety which can
increase our stress level significantly, which then can lead to depression. A research said that
anxiety disorder have a high comorbidity with depression and that anxiety occur prior to the onset
of depressive disorders in many individuals (Batterham, Christensen, Calear 2013). People who
experience depression must find way to cope with depression and know how to get help in order to
prevent suicidal ideation. The people surroundings, friends and family, must also find ways to
recognize the symptoms of depression, and show understandings in order to help those suffering.
This research project will help people understand more about

Essay on Depressive Disorders
Everybody, at a certain point in life, feels blue or sad. The feeling of being sad is usually
short–termed and it passes away in the matter of hours or days. Depression is a common, but a
very serious illness, so it is really important for the person who has it to seek for treatment. In
majority of cases, depression is curable, and that is why people should ask for help when they are
in need. There are many ways to effectively treat depression like medications, psychotherapies, and
other methods. Furthermore, there are several forms of depressive disorders: major depressive
disorder (major depression), dysthymic disorder (dysthymia), minor depression, psychotic
depression, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar...show more content...
It can be characterized by a fusion of various symptoms, which interfere with people in a way
where they are not able to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy their everyday activities. (Moussavi,
2007) ("Depression") All in all, major depressive disorder prevents people from functioning
normally. It can occur only once in a lifetime as a single episode, but most of the time people have
multiple episodes. Furthermore, another form of depressive disorders is dysthymic disorder, or
dysthymia. The thing that particularly characterizes dysthymia are long–term symptoms, which
have to be at least two years long. Those symptoms are usually not severe like the ones in major
depression, but they can prevent people from living a normal life. Minor depression is the third
big form of depressive disorders. It is characterized by having symptoms for at least two weeks,
which do not fully meet the criteria to be considered as major depression. It is very
recommendable for people with minor depression to treat it as soon as possible because it can
develop into major depression. (Moussavi, 2007) Nevertheless, there are a few forms of depression
that are unique, so people cannot really agree on how to characterize and define those particular
forms. One of them is psychotic depression, which is a combination of severe depression and a form
of psychosis such as delusions and hallucinations. Secondly, postpartum depression

Essay Depression
INFORMATIVE SPEECH OUTLINE
DEPRESSION
JIMENA VILLEGAS
SPC1017
INTRODUCTION
Hook:
How many of you are going through depression? Or do you have friends and/or family members
who are going through depression?
Thesis Statement:
Today I will talk about depression. I will talk about the background, the causes of this disease, the
symptoms and finally, the treatment and prevention of depression.
BODY
I. Background
A. What is depression?
1. According to Dr. Jane Doe from www.health.yahoo.com, "Depression is a mood disorder that
makes you feel sad or hopeless for a period of time". Dr John Doe states in his article, The People
Who Suffer from
Depression that "Depression can have a significant impact on the...show more content...
III. Symptoms
A. Depression is more than just the normal, temporary felling of sadness and hopelessness. It has
other factors that your health care professional can help you with.
B. Dr Jane Doe claims "Depression has other symptoms". Her article on www.harvardmedical.com,
provides many examples of symptoms. Here are a few from her list:
a. Depressive mood.
b. Not enjoying the daily activities in your life.
c. Problems concentrating.
d. Poor memory.
e. Having trouble making decisions.
f. Changes in eating habits.

g. Weight gain or weight loss.
h. Changes in eating habits.
i. Difficulty going to work or taking care of daily responsibilities.
j. Slow thoughts and speech.
k. Feeling guilt and hopelessness. Wondering if life is worth living.
l. Thoughts of death and suicide.
IV. Treatment/Prevention
A. Depression is usually treated successfully with professional counseling and/or prescribed
medication. People with depression can be treated as outpatients or in some cases a person has to be
hospitalized.
B. According to www.health.org.com, here are some ways to prevent you from becoming depressed.
a. Try to be with other people. It's better than being alone.
b. Participate in activities that may make you feel better.
c. Mild exercise.
d. Going to a movie, a ballgame, or participating in religious, social, or other activities that may help.
e. Most importantly let your family and

Depression Essay
People suffering from depression experience a lasting and continuously depressed mood that
interferes with the ability to function, feel pleasure, and even maintain interest in life. The
occasional feeling of being "blue" does not usually cause a downward spiral into depression. People
suffering from major depressive episodes may feel so fatigued that they cannot go to work, school,
or even do the simple things we take for granted. They may sleep day and night, have problems
concentrating, and feel so deeply sad and guilty. This could lead toinfinite thoughts of suicide. Thus
showing that depression has an effect on a person's mind and personal life.
When depression ends, most people return to a "normal"...show more content...
These delusions can be a source of great distress to the family and the recovering patient.
In my own personal experiences, these delusions are true occurrences when dealing with manic
depression. My uncle suffers from manic depression and has had several episodes. While in a city
park, he thought that a park attendant was attacking him. He then pulled a knife on the attendant and
was arrested. This incident was posted throughout the local newspapers. He felt ashamed for what
he put his family as well as the rest of the family through. This had a traumatic affect on his recovery
and the rest of his treatment. Now with the help of his medication, he manages to keep his
depression under control.
The primary drug used when dealing with depression is Lithium. "Lithium is generally used only as
an augmenting agent in patients who have not had a response to antidepressant drugs alone (Price
1994). Most patients receiving lithium have side effects, reflecting the drug's narrow therapeutic
index. Many symptoms and signs of toxicity are closely correlated with plasma lithium
concentrations (Price 1994). The Food and Drug Association (FDA) banned lithium in response to
the deaths of several patients in 1949 (Price 1994). There are several more side effects when dealing
with lithium

Essay Depression

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