Depression|Signs|Causes|Treatment

What is depression?

Depression, is a common and serious medical illness, that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is the most common illness worldwide and the leading cause of disability. They estimate that 350 million people are affected by depression, globally.

Signs and symptoms;

• depressed mood
• reduced interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, loss of sexual desire
• unintentional weight loss (without dieting) or low appetite
• insomnia (difficulty sleeping) or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
• psychomotor agitation, for example, restlessness, pacing up and down
• delayed psychomotor skills, for example, slowed movement and speech
• fatigue or loss of energy
• feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• impaired ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or attempt at suicide

  Causes

  The causes of depression are not fully understood and may not be down to a single source. Depression is likely to be due to a complex combination of factors that include:
  
  

  Depression has a wide range of causes and potential treatments.

  • genetics
  • biological - changes in neurotransmitter levels
  • environmental
  • psychological and social (psychosocial)Some people are at higher risk of depression than others; risk factors include:

  • Life events: These include bereavement, divorce, work issues, relationships with friends and family, financial problems, medical concerns, or acute stress.
  • Personality: Those with less successful coping strategies or previous life trauma are more susceptible.
  • Genetic factors: Having a first-degree relative with depression increases the risk.
  • Childhood trauma.

    Treatments for depression

    There's no one proven way that people recover from depression, and it's different for everyone. However, there are a range of effective treatments and health professionals who can help you on the road to recovery.
    
    -Psychological Treatment
    -Medical Treatment

Psychological treatments for depression

Psychological treatments (also known as talking therapies) can help you change your thinking patterns and improve your coping skills so you're better equipped to deal with life's stresses and conflicts. As well as supporting your recover, psychological therapies can also help you stay well by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviour.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

-CBT is a structured psychological treatment that recognises that the way we think (cognition) and act (behaviour) affects the way we feel.
-CBT is one of the most effective treatments for depression and has been found to be useful for a wide range of ages, including children, adolescents, adults and older people.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

-IPT is a structured psychological therapy that focuses on problems in personal relationships and the skills needed to deal with these.
-IPT is based on the idea that relationship problems can have a significant effect on someone experiencing depression, and can even contribute to the cause.

Behaviour therapy

-While behaviour therapy is a major component of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), unlike CBT it doesn’t attempt to change beliefs and attitudes.
-Instead, it focuses on encouraging activities that are rewarding, pleasant or satisfying, aiming to reverse the patterns of avoidance, withdrawal and inactivity that make depression worse.

Medical treatments for depression

Antidepressants Medication:

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin and Noradrenalin Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Reversible Inhibitors of MonoAmine oxidase (RIMAs)
• TriCyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
• Noradrenalin Reuptake Inhibitors (NARIs)Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

This class includes sertraline; citalopram; escitalopram; paroxetine; fluoxetine; fluvoxamine. SSRIs are:

• the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in Australia
• often a doctor's first choice for most types of depression
• generally well tolerated by most people
• generally non-sedating.

Serotonin and Noradrenalin Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)

This class includes venlafaxine; desvenlafaxine; duloxetine. SNRIs:

• have fewer side effects compared to the older antidepressants
• are often prescribed for severe depression
• are safer if a person overdoses.

Reversible Inhibitors of MonoAmine oxidase (RIMAs)

The class includes the moclobemide. RIMAs:

• have fewer side effects
• are non-sedating
• maybe less effective in treating more severe forms of depression than other antidepressants
• are helpful for people who are experiencing anxiety or sleeping difficulties.

TriCyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

The class includes nortriptyline; clomipramine; dothiepin; imipramine; amitriptyline. TCAs are:

• effective, but have more harmful side effects than newer drugs (i.e. SSRIs)
• more likely to cause low blood pressure – so this should be monitored by a doctor.

Noradrenaline-Serotonin Specific Antidepressants (NaSSAs)

This class includes mirtazapine. NaSSAs are:

• relatively new antidepressants
• helpful when there are problems with anxiety or sleeping
• generally low in sexual side effects, but may cause weight gain.

Noradrenalin Reuptake Inhibitors (NARIs)

This class includes reboxetine. NARIs are:

• designed to act selectively on one type of brain chemical – noradrenaline
• less likely to cause sleepiness or drowsiness than some other antidepressants
• more likely to:
• make it difficult for people to sleep
• cause increased sweating after the initial doses
• cause sexual difficulties after the initial doses
• cause difficulty urinating after the initial doses
• cause increased heart rate after the initial doses.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

This class includes tranylcypromine. MAOIs are prescribed only under exceptional circumstances as they require a special diet and have adverse effects.

Subscribe to our youtube channel for medical videos and information Click Here