This feelings Is a Sign of Near Death

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major Depression, major depressive disorder or clinical Depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

Depression isn't a weakness, it may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with Depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or both. Other treatments also may help.

SYMPTOMS

Although Depression may occur only one time during your life, usually people have multiple episodes of Depression. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness or unhappiness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities, such as sex
• Sleep disturbances, including Insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so that even small tasks take extra effort
• Changes in appetite — often reduced appetite and weight loss, but increased cravings for food and weight gain in some people
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness — for example, excessive worrying, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that are not your responsibility
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
• Unexplained physical problems, such as Back pain or headaches

Types of Depression

Depression affects each person in different ways, so symptoms caused by Depression vary from person to person. To clarify the type of Depression you have, your doctor may add information to your Depression diagnosis called a specifier. Specifiers include having Depression with specific features, such as:

• Anxious distress — unusual restlessness or worry about possible events or loss of control
• Mixed features — simultaneous Depression and mania, which includes elevated self-esteem, talking too much, and racing thoughts and ideas
• Melancholic features — severe Depression with a profound lack of response to something that used to bring pleasure, associated with early morning awakening, worsened mood in the morning, significant changes in appetite, and feelings of guilt, agitation or sluggishness
• Atypical features — ability to be cheered by happy events, increased appetite, little need for sleep, sensitivity to rejection, and a heavy feeling in arms or legs
• Psychotic features — Depression accompanied by delusions or hallucinations, which may involve themes of personal inadequacy or negative themes
• Catatonia — includes motor activity that involves either uncontrollable and purposeless movement or fixed and inflexible posture
• Peripartum onset — occurs during pregnancy or in the weeks or months after delivery (postpartum)
• Seasonal pattern — related to changes in seasons and diminished exposure to sunlight

Depression symptoms in children and teens

Common symptoms of Depression in children and teens are similar to those of adults, but there can be some differences.

• In younger children, symptoms of Depression may include sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
• In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.
• Depression may occur with other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, Eating disorders, substance abuse or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Depression symptoms in older adults

Depression is not a normal part of growing older and it should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, Depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated in older adults, and they may feel reluctant to seek help. Symptoms of Depression may be different or less obvious in older adults, including:

• Memory difficulties or personality changes
• Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, aches or loss of interest in sex, which are not caused by a medical condition or medication
• Often wanting to stay at home, rather than going out to socialize or doing new things
• Suicidal thinking or feelings, especially in older men

If you have suicidal thoughts

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away. Here are some steps you can take:

• Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
• Contact a minister, a spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
• Call a suicide hotline number — in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
• Make an appointment with your doctor, mental health provider or other health care provider.

CAUSES

It's not known exactly what causes Depression. As with many mental disorders, a variety of factors may be involved, such as:

• Biological differences. People with Depression appear to have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain, but may eventually help pinpoint causes.
• Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that likely play a role in Depression. When these chemicals are out of balance, it may be associated with depressive symptoms.
• Hormones. Changes in the body's balance of hormones may be involved in causing or triggering Depression. Hormone changes can result from thyroid problems, Menopause or a number of other conditions.
• Inherited traits. Depression is more common in people whose biological (blood) relatives also have this condition. Researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing Depression.
• Life events. TraumaTic events such as the death or loss of a loved one, financial problems, high stress, or childhood Trauma can trigger Depression in some people.

Researchers have identified certain factors that seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering Depression, including:

• Depression that started when you were a teen or child
• History of anxiety disorder, Borderline personality disorder or post-TraumaTic stress disorder
• Abuse of alcohol or illegal drugs
• Certain personality traits, such as having low self-esteem and being overly dependent, self-critical or pessimistic
• Serious or chronic illness, such as Cancer, Diabetes or Heart disease
• Certain medications, such as some high blood pressure medications or sleeping pills (talk to your doctor before stopping any medication)
• TraumaTic or stressful events, such as physical or sexual abuse, the loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship or financial problems
• Blood relatives with a history of Depression, Bipolar disorder, alcoholism or suicide

• Excess weight or Obesity, which can lead to Heart disease and Diabetes
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Anxiety, panic disorder or social phobia
• Family conflicts, relationship difficulties, and work or school problems
• Social isolation
• Suicidal feelings, suicide attempts or suicide
• Self-mutilation, such as cutting
• Premature death from other medical conditions

Other conditions that cause Depression symptoms

There are several other conditions with symptoms that can include Depression. It's important to get an accurate diagnosis so you can get appropriate treatment. Your doctor or mental health provider's evaluation will help determine if your symptoms of Depression are caused by a specific type of Depression or another condition, such as:

• Adjustment disorder. An adjustment disorder is a severe emotional reaction to a difficult event in your life. It's a type of stress-related Mental illness that may affect your feelings, thoughts and behavior.
• Bipolar disorder. This mood disorder is characterized by mood swings that range from highs to lows. It's sometimes difficult to distinguish between Bipolar disorder and Depression.
• Cyclothymic disorder. Cyclothymic (sy-kloe-THIE-mik) disorder involves highs and lows that are milder than those of Bipolar disorder.
• Persistent depressive disorder. Sometimes called Dysthymia (dis-THIE-me-uh), this is a less severe but more chronic form of Depression. While it's usually not disabling, persistent depressive disorder can prevent you from functioning normally in your daily routine and from living life to its fullest.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This involves Depression symptoms associated with hormone changes that begin a week before and improve within a few days after the onset of your period, and are minimal or gone after completion of your period.
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD can demonstrate irritability without sadness or loss of interest. However, major Depression can occur with ADHD.

Make sure you understand what type of Depression you have so that you can learn more about your specific situation and treatment options.

TREATMENTS AND DRUGS

Numerous Depression treatments are available. Medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy) are very effective for most people.

Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve Depression symptoms. However, many people with Depression also benefit from seeing a psychologist or other mental health counselor.

If you have severe Depression, you may need a hospital stay, or you may need to participate in an outpatient treatment program until your symptoms improve.

Here's a closer look at Depression treatment options.

Medications

Many types of antidepressant medications are available to treat Depression, including those below. Discuss possible major side effects with your doctor or pharmacist.

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctors often start by prescribing an SSRI. These medications are safer and generally cause fewer bothersome side effects than do other types of antidepressants. SSRIs include Fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro).
• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Examples of SNRI medications include duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and desvenlafaxine (Pristiq).
• Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs). Bupropion (Wellbutrin) falls into this category. It's one of the few antidepressants not frequently associated with sexual side effects.
• Atypical antidepressants. These medications don't fit neatly into any of the other antidepressant categories. They include trazodone and mirtazapine (Remeron). Both are sedating and usually taken in the evening. A newer medication called vilazodone (Viibryd) is thought to have a low risk of sexual side effects.
• Tricyclic antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants — such as imipramine (Tofranil) and nortriptyline (Pamelor) — tend to cause more severe side effects than do newer antidepressants. So tricyclics generally aren't prescribed unless you've tried an SSRI first without improvement.
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs — such as tranylcypromine (Parnate) and phenelzine (Nardil) — may be prescribed, typically when other medications haven't worked, because they can have serious side effects. Using MAOIs requires a strict diet because of dangerous (or even deadly) interactions with foods ? such as certain cheeses, pickles and wines ? and some medications including birth control pills, decongestants and certain herbal supplements. Selegiline (Emsam), a newer MAOI that you stick on your skin as a patch, may cause fewer side effects than other MAOIs do. These medications can't be combined with SSRIs.
• Other medications. Other medications may be added to an antidepressant to enhance antidepressant effects. Your doctor may recommend combining two antidepressants or medications such as mood stabilizers or antipsychotics. Anti-anxiety and stimulant medications might also be added for short-term use.