People with depression may overeat, indulging in so-called comfort eating, but more often they lose their appetite — another example of anhedonia. Anhedonia can also have an impact on your sex life. There may also be a biological cause, as depression is linked with hormonal changes.
Many people with depression report disturbance to their sleep patterns. Some find themselves sleeping too much due to constant fatigue, but wakefulness is more common. Depression can increase your susceptibility to pain. A fine example is soldiers in wartime getting a finger shot off and being carried off the field in a state of euphoria, laughing.
Pain is made worse or better depending on your psychological state. That impairs problem-solving. In other words, you want to be more certain before making decisions — and struggle to trust your gut feelings. The severity and frequency of symptoms and how long they last will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of the illness. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the U.
Current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression can happen at any age, but often begins in adulthood. Depression is now recognized as occurring in children and adolescents, although it sometimes presents with more prominent irritability than low mood.
Many chronic mood and anxiety disorders in adults begin as high levels of anxiety in children. These conditions are often worse when depression is present. Sometimes medications taken for these physical illnesses may cause side effects that contribute to depression. A doctor experienced in treating these complicated illnesses can help work out the best treatment strategy. Depression, even the most severe cases, can be treated.
The earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is. Depression is usually treated with medications , psychotherapy , or a combination of the two. If these treatments do not reduce symptoms, electroconvulsive therapy ECT and other brain stimulation therapies may be options to explore.
Quick Tip: No two people are affected the same way by depression and there is no "one-size-fits-all" for treatment. It may take some trial and error to find the treatment that works best for you. Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression. They may help improve the way your brain uses certain chemicals that control mood or stress. You may need to try several different antidepressant medicines before finding the one that improves your symptoms and has manageable side effects.
A medication that has helped you or a close family member in the past will often be considered. Antidepressants take time — usually 2 to 4 weeks — to work, and often, symptoms such as sleep, appetite, and concentration problems improve before mood lifts, so it is important to give medication a chance before reaching a conclusion about its effectiveness.
If you begin taking antidepressants, do not stop taking them without the help of a doctor. Sometimes people taking antidepressants feel better and then stop taking the medication on their own, and the depression returns. When you and your doctor have decided it is time to stop the medication, usually after a course of 6 to 12 months, the doctor will help you slowly and safely decrease your dose.
Stopping them abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Please Note: In some cases, children, teenagers, and young adults under 25 may experience an increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior when taking antidepressants, especially in the first few weeks after starting or when the dose is changed. This warning from the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA also says that patients of all ages taking antidepressants should be watched closely, especially during the first few weeks of treatment.
If you are considering taking an antidepressant and you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about any increased health risks to you or your unborn or nursing child. To find the latest information about antidepressants, talk to your doctor and visit www. You may have heard about an herbal medicine called St.
John's wort. Although it is a top-selling botanical product, the FDA has not approved its use as an over-the-counter or prescription medicine for depression, and there are serious concerns about its safety it should never be combined with a prescription antidepressant and effectiveness. Do not use St. Other natural products sold as dietary supplements, including omega-3 fatty acids and S-adenosylmethionine SAMe , remain under study but have not yet been proven safe and effective for routine use.
For more information on herbal and other complementary approaches and current research, please visit the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website. Examples of evidence-based approaches specific to the treatment of depression include cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT , interpersonal therapy IPT , and problem-solving therapy. If medications do not reduce the symptoms of depression, electroconvulsive therapy ECT may be an option to explore.
Your GP may offer you self-help resources. These are often available quite quickly and may be enough to help you feel better without trying other options. They include self-help books, online cognitive behavioural therapy CBT or group exercise classes — there is evidence that exercise can help depression.
The NHS website has more information about self-help , including links to books, apps and online forums. Talking therapies involve speaking in confidence to a trained professional about your feelings and worries. There are many different talking therapies that are recommended for depression, including cognitive behavioural therapy CBT , interpersonal therapy, psychotherapy and counselling.
Your GP can advise you about which one you may find most helpful. Another option is to take antidepressants. You can take them on their own or while having talking therapy. There are several different types of antidepressants and you can talk to your GP about which one might suit you best.
You usually need to take them for one or two weeks before you start to feel the benefit. Read more about antidepressants on the NHS website.
About depression Mind. Clinical depression - NHS www. Depression Royal College of Psychiatrists rcpsych. Depression youngminds. How common are mental health problems? What are the signs and symptoms of depression?
Home A-to-z D Depression Depression We all have times when we feel down, but depression is about more than feeling sad or fed up for a few days.
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