Anxiety & Depression | Mentalhealthcme

What is Depression?

Depression is much more than just feeling blue or having a bad day. When a depressed mood lasts for a long time and interferes with normal, everyday life, you may be depressed.

Signs of Depression include:

Feeling sad or anxious all or most of the time.
Not enjoying activities that used to be enjoyable.
Feeling irritable or easily frustrated.
Having an unhealthy sleep cycle.
Eating more or less than usual, or having no appetite.
Experiencing pains, aches, headaches, or stomach problems that don't improve when treated.
Having troubles with decision making, concentrating, or remembering details.
Feeling tired, even after a good nights rest.
Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless.
Thinking about suicide or self-harm.

What Causes Depression?

The exact cause for depression is unknown. It may be caused by a number of factors whether that be genetic, biological, environmental, or psychological. Everyone is different, but the following factors may increase a person's chances of becoming depressed:

Having relatives with depression.
Experienced traumatic or stressful events, such as but not limited to physical or sexual abuse, the death of a loved one, or financial problems.
Going through major life changes, even if it was planned.
Having medical issues.
Taking certain medications. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether your medications might be making you feel depressed.
Using alcohol or drugs.

Who Gets Depression?

Anyone can get depressed, and depression can happen at any age and to any type of person.

Many people who experience depression also suffer from other mental health conditions. Anxiety disorders often go hand in hand with depression. Those with anxiety disorders often times struggle with intense and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety, worry, fear, or panic. These feelings may interfere with daily activities and may last for a long period of time.

What Are the Treatments for Depression?

Many helpful treatments for depression are available. Treatments for depression can play a major role in helping reduce the symptoms of depression and shorten how long the depression lasts.

Treatments for Depression include:

Therapy: Many people benefit from psychotherapy also known as therapy or counseling. Most therapy lasts for a short period of time but is different for all people and focuses on thoughts, feelings, and issues that are currently happening in your life. In some circumstances understanding your past can help, but finding ways to approach what is happening in your life now can help you cope and prepare you for challenges in the future. Therapy is a treatment that helps you learn skills to cope with life, change behaviors that create conflict, and find solutions.

Common Goals of Therapy include:

Getting healthier.
Controlling substance use and abuse.
Overcoming internal fears or insecurities.
Coping with stressors.
Identifying factors that worsen your depression.
Making sense of past painful events.
Having better relationships with friends and family.
Understanding why something bothers you and creating a plan to resolve it.

Medication: Many people struggling with depression find that taking prescription drugs called antidepressants can help with mood elevation and coping skills. Several antidepressant medications are available, so you and your doctor have options to choose from. Sometimes it takes several tries to find which medication works best for you, so be patient.