Depression

Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.  Depression affects the way one feels about oneself, the way a person eats and sleeps, and the way one thinks about things.  Depression is not a passing blue mood or a sign of personal weakness.  Those who suffer from depression cannot merely "pull it together" and get better.  Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years.  Fortunately, appropriate treatment can help most people with depression.

The signs and symptoms of depression include loss of interest in activities that were once interesting or enjoyable, including sex, loss of appetite (anorexia) or overeating with weight gain, loss of emotional expression (flat affect), a persistently melancholy, anxious or empty mood, feelings of despair, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness, social withdrawal, chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance or insomnia, oversleeping, difficulties with indecision, concentrating, or remembering, restlessness or irritability, persistent physical problems like headaches, digestive disorders, or chronic pain that doesn’t respond to treatment, preoccupation with death or suicidal tendencies.  Alcohol or drug abuse could also be a sign of depression.

Major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease) are the main forms of depression.  Major depression causes a combination of symptoms that disrupt the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy ordinarily pleasurable activities.  Dysthymia is a less severe type of depression with long-term chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good.  Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) is distinguished by cyclic mood changes involving severe highs (mania) and lows (depression).  The mood switches can be dramatic and rapid, but are usually gradual.  When in the depressed phase of the cycle individuals suffer any or all of the symptoms of depression, but in the manic cycle, one may be overactive, over-talkative, and have excess energy.  Mania, left untreated, can worsen to a psychotic state. Bipolar disorder is not nearly as common as other forms of depressive disorders.  An estimated 12% of men and 25% of women will suffer from depression during their lifetimes.

Depression related topics: Depression, Antidepressants, Mood Elevators, Natural Antidepressants, Natural Mood Elevators, Postpartum Depression, S-Adenosyl-Methionine, Sam e Depression, Serotonin

Depression Nutraceutical Products: Methylate