Your Appetite Drastically Changes
You may either be eating more than usual or, more commonly, have no appetite at all.
Its an easy to overlook because we live in a society that values diet culture and values restriction as a sign of control and discipline, Castro said. That says something good about your character if youre not gorging on food. I think that it can be easily missed and it can be praised as that person somehow has it together, and theyre doing well.
But dietary changes depend on the individual. It plays out differently because of our temperaments and preferred ways of coping, Castro added. If you have more depletion of serotonin levels, then you may be someone who is more inclined to seek comfort in food.
What If I Am Not Happy With My Treatment
If you are not happy with your treatment you can:
- talk to your doctor to see if they can suggest changes,
- get an advocate to help you speak your doctor,
- ask for a second opinion if you feel it would help,
- contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service and see whether they can help, or
- make a complaint.
There is more information about these options below.
Advocacy
An advocate is independent from the NHS. They are free to use. They can be useful if you find it difficult to get your views heard.
There are different types of advocates available. Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like. They arent available in all areas.
You can ask an advocate to help you make a complaint. Advocates that do this are called NHS complaints advocates. They are free to use and don t work for the NHS. They re available in all areas.
You can search online to search for a local advocacy service. If you cant find a service you can call our advice service 0808 801 0525 . You can email us too at . We will look for you.
Second opinion
Talk to your doctor about your treatment to see if you can resolve the problem with them first. If you dont agree with their decisions about diagnosis or treatment, you could ask for a second opinion. You are not legally entitled to a second opinion, but your doctor might agree to it if it would help with treatment options.
‘PALS’
Complaints
- Advocacy by clicking here.
Why Does Depression Happen
Many people living with depression question why they feel this way and want to know what is behind their sadness. Researchers are trying to understand why depression occurs. Various potential causes and risk factors may contribute to the onset of symptoms. As we learn more about depression, depression symptoms may occur for reasons such as:
- Stress or trauma. Life changes, unexpected loss, feeling burned out, or overwhelmed are changes that may trigger depressive episodes.
- Hormone changes or imbalance. Women may experience postpartum depression after childbirth due to body changes. Menopause and menstruation are other situations that may include hormonal imbalance.
- Family genes. A person may have depression if there is a family history or be at risk of developing it if it runs in their immediate family.
- Chemical differences. Physical or biological imbalances in the brain may increase the chances of developing depression.
- Medical conditions or illness. Certain medications, physical or mental conditions could increase depression risk.
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Electroconvulsive Therapy Electric Shock Treatment
If you have severe depression and other treatments, like medication, haven’t worked, ECT might be recommended for you.
When receiving ECT, you will be given an anaesthetic and medication that relaxes your muscles to begin with. Electrodes will be placed on your head that give an electrical “shock” to your brain.
ECT is given over a series of sessions, normally twice a week for three to six weeks.
ECT can cause side effects including nausea, headaches, aches in the muscles and memory problems.
Most people find that ECT is good for relieving severe depression, but the beneficial effects tend to wear off when several months have passed.
You Experience Extended Bouts Of Stress
Some amount of stress is normal and can lead to productivity, said Catherine Muyeba, a psychiatrist based in England. However, the pervasive mental and emotional pressure can lead to chronic stress that can negatively impact ones life. It can affect concentration, disrupt sleep, reduce ability to cope with daily challenges and have a detrimental impact on health leading to high blood pressure and even heart attacks.
Muyeba also noted that theres a difference between depression and stress. Stress is often triggered by life events and often resolves when the events subside, she explained. Depression can start without an obvious trigger or link to events from the past.
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The Risk Of Isolation
It can sometimes be hard to explain your thoughts and feelings to others. You might find it difficult to talk about your depression and instead you might cut yourself off from other people. The more overwhelming your symptoms, the more isolated and lonely you might become.
Without treatment and support, depression can have an impact on your relationships, work, finances and overall health, so it’s important to get help as early as possible. See our pages on treatment and support for more information.
“It feels like I’m stuck under a huge grey-black cloud. It’s dark and isolating, smothering me at every opportunity.”
Major Or Clinical Depression
Major depression is much less common than mild or moderate and is characterized by severe, relentless symptoms.
- Left untreated, major depressive disorder typically lasts for about six months.
- Some people experience just a single depressive episode in their lifetime, but major depression can be a recurring disorder.
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Can Depression Sometimes Show Up As Agitation
Although depression is most often associated with devitalization and typically shows up as a dampening of responsiveness and behavior, it can sometimes manifest as agitation and restlessness. In some studies, as many as one third of people with major depressive disorder had symptoms of agitation and physical restlessness. They may range from frequent wringing of the hands and shuffling of the feet to angry outbursts, as well as difficulty sitting still.
Thoughts Of Harming Yourself
Suicidal ideation is an immediate cause for concern. If you or someone you love has expressed having thoughts of suicide or of not wanting to be alive, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741.
The lifeline provides 24-7 access to free and confidential support from trained professionals and even provides a convenient online chat if you feel more comfortable communicating that way.
For additional suicide prevention and crisis resources, check out our page on suicide prevention.
Does any of this sound familiar? Have you been trying to shake these persistent feelings for weeks, but they just dont seem to go away?
Then what youre experiencing may be depression.
Remember that although depression has a range of symptoms, the presence of depressed mood, lack of interest, feelings of worthlessness, poor concentration, and thoughts of death are all serious signs that it may be time to consider seeking help.
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Feeling Worthless Hopeless Or Guilty
It is normal for people to experience feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and guilt sometimes. These types of negative emotions are often a result of specific events in our lives. These emotions usually go away once the event has passed, and we are able to heal. However, sometimes these negative feelings can persist and begin to color our outlook on life this is when we may need help.For some people, struggling with depression means feeling hopeless. It can make even the simplest tasks seem impossible, and its hard to imagine ever feeling happy again.
Depression In Women: 5 Things You Should Know
Being sad is a normal reaction to difficult times in life. But usually, the sadness goes away with a little time. Depression is differentit is a mood disorder that may cause severe symptoms that can affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or working. Depression is more common among women than men, likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors that are unique to women.
This brochure contains an overview of five things that everyone should know about depression in women.
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Depression: What You Need To Know As You Age
If youre one of the more than 14.8 million American adults who experiences major depression, you may feel so bad that you cant get out of bed, be around the people you love or participate in activities that you usually enjoy. Actually, there are more than 50 different symptoms of major depression, ranging from the well-knowncrying and sadnessto those you might never associate with depression, such as anger, workaholism and back pain.
Depression is a disease that affects every aspect of a persons life, not just mood, says Johns Hopkins expert Andrew Angelino, M.D., Chair of Psychiatry at Howard County General Hospital. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be the second-leading cause of disability in the world, just behind cardiovascular disease.
People who are depressed are far more likely to have other chronic medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, back problems, arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and to have worse outcomes. Untreated depression can even affect your immune response to some vaccines.
Depression is not just debilitating it can be deadly. An estimated one out of five people with depression will attempt suicide at some point.
Risk Factors For Depression
Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.
Several factors can play a role in depression:
- Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
- Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
- Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
- Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.
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What Causes Depression
There is no single cause of depression. Different things may cause depression for different people. This section looks at some of the things that might cause depression, or depressive symptoms.
Can depression be inherited?
There is not a clear pattern to suggest that depression can be inherited. Some studies suggest that your genetics can play a part in developing depression. For example, 1 study found that particular genes may play a key role in developing recurrent depression.
Some researchers have suggested that people who have a parent or sibling with depression, have a 2 to 3 times more chance of developing depression. However, just because a relative lives with depression, it does not mean you will too.
Can my background or current situation cause depression?
Researchers have looked at whether having parents or other family members with depression can increase your chances of developing the condition. For example, a study has looked into the effects having a mother with postpartum depression can have on children as they grow up.
Research has also suggested that stressful events, such as problems at home or work, a relationship ending or financial issues may also make it more likely you will get depression.
Can my hormones or the chemicals in my body cause depression?
Changes in your hormones and chemicals in your body may cause depressive symptoms.
How can lifestyle factors affect depression?
Can drugs and alcohol affect my mental health?
What Are The Signs
1. Youve been feeling low or irritable for most of the day, every day for two weeks or more. You might have found yourself worrying about past or future events for long periods of time, or simply feeling sad, cross or tearful. Sometimes its hard to recognize a gradual change have others noticed that you dont seem your usual self?
2. Youve lost interest in activities that you used to enjoy. Perhaps you have been seeing less of your friends or family recently, have stopped going to the gym, or cooking balanced meals. This is really about recognizing changes in whats normal for you no one is saying you have to exercise five times a week or eat your greens, but changes in your routine can offer concrete indications that your mood is changing.
3. You are struggling to concentrate. You might notice that you struggle to focus when reading or watching television, for example, or to follow the thread of a spoken conversation. This could be affecting your performance at work, or limiting your ability to perform routine tasks such as food shopping. Again, we are looking for a change in whats normal for you, so if concentration has always been something you find tricky there is little cause for concern.
If you recognize yourself in most or all of these signs, then it is probably time to seek a professional opinion.
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Note The Duration Of Symptoms Of Depression
If a patient is experiencing at least five of the above symptoms, Dr. Sowa says the next thing he considers is how long the person has been feeling that way. A clinical diagnosis of depression requires someone to be experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks. That said, depression often builds up over a longer period of time.
For most people these things develop slowly, Dr. Sowa says. They feel themselves falling into depression, as if they are falling into a deep hole. It doesnt hit them like theyve suddenly fallen off a cliff. Some patients describe it as feeling themselves rolling down a hill, and then eventually theyre at the bottom.
For those who have experienced depression before, this fall may be identifiable. If you can detect that the process is starting early enough, you can adopt some practices that will help slow, or even fully prevent, a depressive episode, such as getting in touch with a therapist or focusing on reducing stress and getting adequate sleep. Dr. Sowa recommends physical exercise do something that you already enjoy, or start small with a daily walk.
The benefits of exercise are clearly documented and can reduce stress levels and symptoms of depression, Dr. Sowa says. Even betterexercise outside. Being in nature helps reduce cortisol, which plays a role in your bodys hormonal response to depression and anxiety.
Why Do I Have No Interest In Sex
No one is in the mood for sex all the time, but a persistently low sex drive is a common sign of depression in both men and women. Just as the disorder affects appetite for life in general and for food more specifically, it dampens the appetite for sex. Low libido is also influenced by the general lethargy and inability to feel pleasure that are hallmarks of depression what’s more, it can both reflect and intensify relationship difficulties depressed people experience.
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Six Signs That You Might Have Depression
Its normal to feel sad after grieving, being lonely, or going through other difficult situations. In challenging times or after a traumatic event, it is common for people to feel a great deal of sadness. The emotions of grief and sadness, while powerful, are not the same as those of clinical depression. What is the difference between sadness and depression?Depression can mimic expressions of sadness, but they dont go away over time. Some of these symptoms include:
Increased Fatigue And Sleep Problems
Part of the reason you might stop doing things you enjoy is because you feel very tired. Depression often comes with a lack of energy and an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, which can be among the most debilitating symptoms of depression. This could lead to excessive sleeping.
Depression is also linked with insomnia, as one might lead to the other and vice versa. They can also make each other worse. The lack of quality, restful sleep can also lead to anxiety.
Depression can affect the sexes differently. Research shows that men with depression may have symptoms such as irritability, escapist or risky behavior, substance abuse, or misplaced anger.
Men are also less likely than women to recognize depression or seek treatment for it.
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Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is a condition that occurs in children and youth ages 6 to 18. It involves a chronic and severe irritability resulting in severe and frequent temper outbursts. The temper outbursts can be verbal or can involve behavior such as physical aggression toward people or property. These outbursts are significantly out of proportion to the situation and are not consistent with the childs developmental age. They must occur frequently and typically in response to frustration. In between the outbursts, the childs mood is persistently irritable or angry most of the day, nearly every day. This mood is noticeable by others, such as parents, teachers, and peers.
In order for a diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder to be made, symptoms must be present for at least one year in at least two settings and the condition must begin before age 10. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is much more common in males than females. It may occur along with other disorders, including major depressive, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety, and conduct disorders.
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder can have a significant impact on the childs ability to function and a significant impact on the family. Chronic, severe irritability and temper outbursts can disrupt family life, make it difficult for the child/youth to make or keep friendships, and cause difficulties at school.
Treatment typically involves and/or medications.