How Can I Find Help
If you think you may have depression, start by making an appointment to see your doctor or health care provider. This could be your primary care practitioner or a health provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Visit the NIMH Find Help for Mental Illnesses if you are unsure of where to start.
Deterrence And Patient Education
Patient education has a profound impact on the overall outcome of major depressive disorder. Since MDD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders causing disability worldwide and people in different parts of the world are hesitant to discuss and seek treatment for depression due to the stigma associated with mental illness, educating patients is very crucial for their better understanding of the mental illness and better compliance with the mental health treatment. Family education also plays an important role in the successful treatment of MDD.
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital Helps Those Living With Depression
At Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, we specialize in treating depression and other mood disorders. We offer inpatient treatment programs and intensive outpatient treatment programs, too. To get started at our facility, please call us at 755-4907 to speak with one of our intake specialists.
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How Is Major Depression Diagnosed
A health professional — such as your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist — will perform a thorough medical evaluation. You might receive a screening for depression at a regular doctorââ¬â¢s visit. The professional will ask about your personal and family psychiatric history and ask you questions that screen for the symptoms of major depression.
There is no blood test, X-ray, or other laboratory test that can be used to diagnose major depression. However, your doctor may run blood tests to help detect any other medical problems that have symptoms similar to those of depression. For example, hypothyroidism can cause some of the same symptoms as depression, as can alcohol or drug use and abuse, some medications, and stroke.
How Is Depression Treated
Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.
Before a diagnosis or treatment, a health professional should conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation, including an interview and a physical examination. In some cases, a blood test might be done to make sure the depression is not due to a medical condition like a thyroid problem or a vitamin deficiency . The evaluation will identify specific symptoms and explore medical and family histories as well as cultural and environmental factors with the goal of arriving at a diagnosis and planning a course of action.
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Diagnosing Major Depressive Disorder
If you or a loved one have been feeling depressed and low, seek help as soon as possible. You can reach out to a mental healthcare provider or contact your primary care doctor for a diagnosis or referral.
Your healthcare provider will ask you a series of questions that will likely cover your symptoms, thoughts and feelings, and medical history. They may need to perform a physical or psychological exam, or conduct lab tests, in order to rule out other health conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
Your healthcare provider will determine whether or not your symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder, which include:
- Having a persistently depressed mood and lack of interest in activities
- Having five or more symptoms of depression
- Having symptoms every day, almost all day
- Having symptoms for over two weeks
- Being unable to function like you did before, due to the symptoms
Everyone Experiences Depression Differently
Its important to note that everyone experiences mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder differently. While some people may have many symptoms of depression, others may have only a few. The frequency, duration, and severity of the symptoms can also vary from person to person.
The symptoms of major depressive disorder can also vary depending on a persons age. Listed below are some symptoms people may experience, depending on their age:
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Familial Social And Environmental Factors
Depression can be familial. Thus, a thorough family history is quite important. Familial, social, and environmental factors appear to play significant roles in the course of depressive illness in children and youths, even in preschool children. René Spitz described anaclitic depression in infants being raised in an orphanage and in hospitalized children whose parents were not allowed to visit.
Can Depression Be Prevented
You can help prevent depression by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet and practicing regular self-care activities such as exercise, meditation and yoga.
If youve had depression before, you may be more likely to experience it again. If you have depression symptoms, get help. Care can help you feel better sooner.
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Can Major Depression Be Prevented
Once you have had an episode of major depression, you are at high risk of having another. The best way to prevent another episode of depression is to be aware of the triggers or causes of major depression and to continue taking the prescribed medication to avoid relapse. It is also important to know what the symptoms of major depression are and to talk with your doctor early if you have any of these symptoms.
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Depressive Episodes With Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a different type of mood disorder that is characterized by a cycle of depressive episodes and manic episodes. Manic episodes are essentially the opposite of depression, during which a person feels euphoric, energized, and sleeps little and acts recklessly. The depressive episodes that precede or follow manic episodes can feel a lot like an episode of major depression.
Certain symptoms are more common in episodes of bipolar depression than major depression. Someone going through bipolar depression is more likely to feel irritable and guilty, to be restless and agitated, and to have unpredictable mood swings. Bipolar depression is also more likely to cause psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Another important difference is that antidepressants may not help treat someone with bipolar disorder. In fact, these drugs may make periods of mania more likely. Instead, bipolar disorder is more often treated with mood stabilizing drugs.
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Additional Resources For Help
- National Institutes of Mental Health, 866-615-6464, nimh.nih.gov
- National Alliance on Mental Illness, 800-950-6264, nami.org
- Mental Health America, 800-969-6642, mentalhealthamerica.net
- National Suicide Hotline, 800-784-2433
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800-273-8255
To find a doctor or schedule an appointment, visit Steward DoctorFinder.
*Source: National Institutes of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov*Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Major Depressive Episode Subtypes
Specifiers may be added to imply greater homogeneity within a subpopulation. For example, with melancholic features requires at least three of the following symptoms: complete loss of pleasure, lack of reactivity, psychomotor retardation, significant weight loss, excessive guilt, or distinct quality of depressed mood. Some authors have emphasized the presence of psychomotor retardation as a core feature of melancholic depression.5 The presence of atypical features requires two or more of the following symptoms: overeating/weight gain, hypersomnia, leaden paralysis, preservation of mood reactivity, or interpersonal rejection sensitivity. These latter two symptoms have been criticized on the basis of poor reliability, and some authors have recommended that only the reverse vegetative symptoms, hypersomnia, and overeating as well as leaden paralysis form the core of atypical depression.6
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Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs
The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
Five Warning Signs Of Depression Everyone Should Know About
If you believe that you or someone you know may be suffering from depression, there are a few signs that can help validate your concerns. Below, we detail five warning signs of depression.
1. Unexplained Pain
Depression does not only affect a persons mental health. It can also have a negative impact on a persons physical well-being. For example, common warning signs of depression are the physical symptoms of unexplained aches and pains. A recent study on symptoms of depression shows that 69% of people who meet the criteria for a depression diagnosis first visit their doctors for unexplained aches and pains. The most common complaints include joint pain, bloating, and backaches.
2. Inability to Concentrate
Almost everyone experiences some brain fog and forgetfulness. However, people who live with depression often experience an extreme lack of focus. The lack of focus is often so bad that the person becomes unable to perform their everyday duties at work and home. There may be periods when the person makes more mistakes than usual or has trouble making decisions.
3. Too Much or Too Little Sleep
Another warning sign of depression is not getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep. It is important to note that sleep disorders, such as insomnia, do not cause depression. However, sleep disorders can play a significant role in mood fluctuations and instability.
4. Changes in Appetite
5. Moodiness and Irritability
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Beyond Treatment: Things You Can Do
Once you begin treatment, you should gradually start to feel better. Here are other tips that may help you or a loved one during treatment for depression:
- Try to get some physical activity. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost mood.
- Try to maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
- Eat regular, healthy meals.
- Do what you can as you can. Decide what must get done and what can wait.
- Try to connect with other people, and talk with people you trust about how you are feeling.
- Postpone important decisions, such as getting married or divorced, or changing jobs until you feel better.
- Avoid using alcohol, nicotine, or drugs, including medications not prescribed for you.
A Change In Eating Habits
Do you notice feeling hungrier or weighing more ? Some people with depression turn to food for comfort, while others lose their appetite because they feel numb or apathetic. Plus, studies have found that excess fat is linked to increased inflammation, which could play a part in causing depression in the first place.
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Changes In Appetite And Weight
Weight and appetite can fluctuate for people with depression. This experience may be different for each person. Some people will have an increased appetite and gain weight, while others wont be hungry and will lose weight.
One indication of whether dietary changes are related to depression is if theyre intentional or not. If theyre not, it may mean that theyre caused by depression.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
People who die by suicide usually show symptoms first. Often people will talk about it or make a first attempt before succeeding in ending their life. If you think someone is at immediate risk of self-harm or hurting another person:
- Stay with the person until help arrives.
- Remove any guns, knives, medications, or other things that may cause harm.
- Listen, but dont judge, argue, threaten, or yell.
If you think someone is considering suicide, get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Causes Of Major Depressive Disorder
Depression is caused by an imbalance of chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, in the brain.
Certain genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors can increase the chances of someone developing depression however, its important to remember that anyone can develop depression.
The potential causes and risk factors for depression include:
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Your Appetite Has Changed
As with sleep, depression affects peoples appetites differently. Some people are hungry or feel the urge to eat all the time. Others dont feel like eating at all.
Changes in your appetite can affect your weight, too and quickly. For example, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders says that depression can lead to weight gain or loss of more than 5% of your body weight in a month.
Are Women At Higher Risk For Major Depression
Almost twice as many women as men have major or clinical depression hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and menopause, may increase the risk.
Other factors that boost the risk of clinical depression in women who are biologically vulnerable to it include increased stress at home or at work, balancing family life with career, and caring for an aging parent. Raising a child alone will also increase the risk.
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The Prominence Of Anxiety Symptoms And Syndromes
Surprisingly, anxiety is not considered as a core or associated symptom of depression according to either DSM-IV or ICD-10 criteria. Neither is with anxious features a specifier within DSM-IV, yet. up to 90% of patients have co-occurring anxiety symptoms, and approximately 50% of depressed patients meet, criteria for a comorbid anxiety disorder.19,20 This lack of syndrome independence on Axis 1 is a major limitation to the current concept, of comorbidity. Comorbid disorders should only exist, at a level expected by chance, yet. in the case of M’DD, comorbidity is the rule and not the exception.21.
A recent proposal for mood and anxiety spectrum disorders, to be considered in DSM-V, has been advanced by Watson22 who proposes three subclasses of emotional disorders: bipolar disorders,distress disorders, and fear disorders . This reflects a pendulum swing to the unitary position of Mapother23 and Lewis24 who viewed states of anxiety along a continuum with depressive disorders, in contrast. to the progressive separation of mood and anxiety disorders initiated more than three decades ago.25,26 It is likely that the inconsistent impact of some antidepressants on anxiety has distorted measurement of anxiety symptoms during treatment.
Are There Other Therapies To Treat Symptoms Of Depression
There are other treatments your doctor may consider. Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, is a treatment option for people whose symptoms don’t get better with medicine or who have severe depression and need treatment right away.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, involves using a noninvasive device that is held above the head to induce the magnetic field. It targets a specific part of the brain that can trigger depression.
With vagus nerve stimulation, or VMS, a pacemaker-like device is surgically implanted under the collarbone to deliver regular impulses to the brain.
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Are There Warning Signs Of Suicide With Depression
Depression carries a high risk of suicide. Suicidal thoughts or intentions are serious. Warning signs include:
- A sudden switch from sadness to extreme calmness, or appearing to be happy
- Always talking or thinking about death
- Clinical depression that gets worse
- Taking risks that could lead to death, such as driving through red lights
- Making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless
- Putting affairs in order, like tying up loose ends or changing a will
- Saying things like “It would be better if I weren’t here” or “I want out”
- Talking about suicide
- Visiting or calling close friends and loved ones
If you or someone you know shows any of the above warning signs, call your local suicide hotline, contact a mental health professional right away, or go to the emergency room.
Other Medications And Supplements
The combined use of antidepressants plus benzodiazepines demonstrates improved effectiveness when compared to antidepressants alone, but these effects may not endure. The addition of a benzodiazepine is balanced against possible harms and other alternative treatment strategies when antidepressant mono-therapy is considered inadequate.
Ketamine may have a rapid antidepressant effect lasting less than two weeks there is limited evidence of any effect after that, common acute side effects, and longer-term studies of safety and adverse effects are needed. A nasal spray form of esketamine was approved by the FDA in March 2019 for use in treatment-resistant depression when combined with an oral antidepressant risk of substance use disorder and concerns about its safety, serious adverse effects, tolerability, effect on suicidality, lack of information about dosage, whether the studies on it adequately represent broad populations, and escalating use of the product have been raised by an international panel of experts.
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Feeling Exceptionally Angry Or Irritable
We always picture people with depression as sad and morose, but theres another side to depressiona crabby and outright aggravated side. Anger attacks, which are strong bits of rage for little or no reason, occur in 30% to 40% of people with depression. This kind of behavior is seen particularly often in depressed children.
What Are The Nine Symptoms Of Major Depression
Signs of depressionHopelessness, Loss of interest, Fatigue, Anxiety, Irritability in men, Changes in appetite, Emotions, Suicidal thoughts. Symptoms should last at least two weeks and should represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression.
Signs of depressionHopelessness, Loss of interest, Fatigue, Anxiety, Irritability in men, Changes in appetite, Emotions, Suicidal thoughts. Symptoms should last at least two weeks and should represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression. In addition, medical conditions (for example,. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job or the end of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure.
It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those who experience a loss often describe themselves as depressed. Pain and depression can coexist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job, or being the victim of physical assault or serious disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression coincide, grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression.
It’s important to distinguish between grief and depression and can help people get the help, support, or treatment they need. Depression is one of the most treatable mental disorders. Between 80 and 90 percent of people with depression ultimately respond well to treatment. Almost all patients get some relief from their symptoms.
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