What is depression?

Depression is a brain disorder characterized by a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. Some people take depression as a joke, but what they don’t see is that depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how one feels, thinks, and acts. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems, and it can decrease one’s ability to function properly.

Can depression be cured or treated?

Treatments and cures for depression depend on the type and severity of the depression. One option for treatment is medication known as anti-depressants. Anti-depressants target three main neurotransmitters that have been found to be related to depression called serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Exercise can also help. According to the “Exercise vs. Antidepressants Study,” 65% of the subjects that were in the category of exercise only and exercise along with anti-depressant medication no longer had major depression after sixteen weeks. Exercise enhances the action of endorphins, which improves natural immunity, reduces the perception of pain, and directly improves mood. Along with exercise and anti-depressants, other options are available. Cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of psychotherapy, is just one of the numerous other options. Above all, it is important to seek treatment if you feel it is needed.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Depression has many symptoms that vary from mild to severe. The symptoms include:

• Changes in appetite – weight loss or gain to dieting

“This is a very common symptom for people who are depressed. When I went through my time where I was depressed, I didn’t eat anything. I was never hungry, or I was eating, but it was very little amounts to almost nothing.”

• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, loss of energy or increased fatigue

“From personal experience, depression can keep you up all night or in bed all day long to the point where you don’t want to move or do anything. This is one of the most common symptoms there is, but also it is the one that is most noticeable or hardest to notice to tell if you’re depressed.  With guys it’s the most noticeable, but with girls it’s not so easy to notice due to hormones causing tiredness and such.”

• Increase in restless activity or slowed movement or speech

• Feeling worthless or guilty

• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions

• Having thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or death

What people don’t see is that depression is a very serious issue a lot of people have to deal with. Depression can lead to many other issues, like the development of an anxiety disorder. Please take this seriously. If you are or if anyone you know is having these thoughts, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline online chat at http://chat.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx if the service appears offline or busy, please call the Lifeline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255).