Depression - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment options

Depression is a complex psychological and physical symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent simptom.Zajedničke property of these symptoms is a decreased level of activity in brain regions.

Depression is a complex psychological and physical symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent simptom.Zajedničke property of these symptoms is a decreased level of activity in brain regions.

Depression is a complex psychological and physical symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the most prominent simptom.Zajedničke property of these symptoms is a decreased level of activity in brain regions.

-low mood level or sadness.

-Lack of joy or interest in activities that were joyful before.

-pessimism.

-a sense of guilt for something without any substantial reason to feel that way.

-Inferiority thoughts.

-irritability.

-Slowness in the thought process.

-Slowness in interpreting sensorial stimuli.

-slow digestion or other internal physical processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example inflated stomach, constipation or difficulty urinating.

-Slow physical reactions.

Depression can be mild disease that only causes problems in everyday life, but it can get very serious and that people are totally disabled and can not participate in social life. From depression of some severity, there is a greater risk of suicide.

Depression can occur in all age groups. In teenagers lack of interest in school work, withdrawal from social life and difficult mood can be signs of depression.

physiological changes that produces symptoms

of depression decreased amount of neurotransmitters in parts of central nervous system, mainly deficiency of serotonin, but some extend to noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine or gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), ilistanice nerve stimulation does not respond properly in neurotransmitori.Neurotransmiter a signal substance that transmits nerve signals through the junctions between two nerve cells.

serotonin and noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send impulses along to other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in the brain. Lack of these substances causes slowness in parts of the brain, and that again causes the depressive symptoms.

The role of GABA is the opposite, namely to slow down some nerve impulses, mainly those causing anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and panic easier to answer. However, the lack of this transmitter seems to cause depressive symptoms. This is because the high activity in some brain processes May slow down other processes.

There are many causes and subtypes of depression of different physiological mechanisms involved.

kind of depression

Depression is often divided into subtypes according to exhibited symptoms.

1 Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorder

By mono-polar depression there are pure depressive symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do not affect a person's ability to work and to participate in social activities are often called dysthymic disorder.

2 Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorder

In this condition there are periods with symptoms of depression - the depressive phase, alternating with periods of elevated mood level with increased mental and physical activity - the manic phase. In the manic phase, affected people and sleeps poorly and has trouble koncentracijom.Blagi form of the disease is called cyclothymic disorder.

3 Manic disorder

This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and hyperactive behavior. Many psychiatrists believe that this disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder where the depressive face has not yet occurred.

4 Depression with mainly physical symptoms

Sometimes the physical symptoms of depression are alone or dominant, such as:. Digestive problems, constipation, difficulty with urination, slow response to sensorial stimuli or slow physical reactions

causes of depression

Two or more factors can have an effect simultaneously to cause depression. Depression can be an independent disease, or part of other diseases. Depression is also divided into different subtypes according to cause.

1 Reactive depression

This disease is simply the result of psychological stress, physical or mental struggle straining without proper rest or sleep for a long time razdoblja.Naprezanje will simply wear out the nervous system or deplete the organism from nutrient necessary for the nervous system work properly.

2 Endogenous depression

when there was a period of stress, strain or lack of rest that can explain the condition, the condition is often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is thought to be part of the cause.

3 Depression by physical disease

depression and symptoms of depression may be a symptom of physical illness. This is perhaps the most common cause of depression.

disease is often associated with depression include:. Heart disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, hypertension or Cushing's syndrome

disease or flu may trigger depression that continues after the infection is gone.

due to lack of thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism, metabolism in the whole body is slowed down, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore depression is an important symptom of hypothyroidism.

4 Depressive symptoms as a consequence of unsound lifestyle

is generally unhealthy lifestyle with too little exercise, too many stimulants such as alcohol, coffee or tea, too less of important nutrient and too much sugar and fat may give depressive symptoms, as well as physical problems.

5 Postnatal depression

Women will often have a period of depression after pregnancy and berth baby Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally exhausting, and can drain the body for nourishment. This in turn can cause depressive symptoms

6 Seasonal affective disorder

Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the year and leave in a warm and light periods. Light stimulates brain activity and the lack of light is a causative factor.

depression treatment

severe or prolonged depression is often treated with anti-depressive medication. Medicines used against depression generally increase the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the central nervous system, or they mimic the neurotransmitters.

drugs are commonly used today increase the serotonin concentration by reducing the removal of serotonin from the space around nerve cells. Examples of these types of drugs: fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sentraline (Zoloft ).

By bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy tranquilizers (neuroleptics) are used to stop the manic symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are sometimes used to stabilize the situation and prevent a new outbreak of depressive or manic faces.

Psychotherapy is sometimes used by depression, usually in combination with medication.

Sometimes serious depression is treated by applying electric shock through my head, Electroconvulsive terapija.Šok cause epileptic eruption of nerve signals through the brain and this gives cramps throughout the tijelu.Grčevi lessen or stop the use of anesthesia prior to electroshock. This form of treatment is controversial because it can cause memory loss and is suspected of causing brain damage. The possibility of brain damage is still denied by most psychiatrists.

By seasonal depression, light therapy maybe useful.

to adjust the way of life should always be considered by depression or depressive symptoms. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be enough to cure depressive symptoms before a serious depression develop. Lifestyle adjustments can be:

-. To slow down a stressful life with too much work or activity

-. Enough rest and sleep

-. Good nutrition with enough of necessary nutrients

-. Some physical exercise

-. Meditation

-. Addition of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, amino acids and essential fatty acids

- Stimulants like coffee or tea may help against depressive feelings in moderate amount. However, if you are a heavy user of these stimulants, you should reduce your consumption.

There are food products labeled as to the symptoms of depression. These contain ingredients that the brain uses as building blocks for neurotransmitters, such as amino acids and lecithin. They also often contain vitamins and minerals that the brain uses as tools to produce neurotransmitters, especially vitamin B6.

amendments can further contain herbal extracts that trigger higher brain activity much like anti-depressive medications, but may have fewer side effects.