Depression

Many of us confuse the word depression (or depressed) between a transient bad mood (a normal condition and not a pathology) and major depressive disorder (a pathological condition), both of which we express with the word "depression" and this is very bad, depression may be defined as a transient bad mood only, and this is the seriousness of the matter, depression is the time of a bad mood for a period of time (more than two weeks) and the most dangerous thing is that depression or the so-called major depressive disorder carries with it the desire to commit suicide, so we must not We neglect symptoms if they appear on us or someone close to us, especially if they are long. Treating depression is a life-saving.

Causes

• Depression results from a disorder in neurotransmitters (hormones), which are substances sent between nerve cells to express an emotional state, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, this as a neurochemical mechanism, but psychologically, the cause of depression may be exposure to painful psychological accidents such as the death of a close person or divorce, and exposure to stress for a long time itself or our exaggerated psychological and neurological response by us to it may also be causative.

• Depression may be secondary to a specific disease such as hypothyroidism, or the intake of certain substances when poisoning or during withdrawal, such as alcohol, and cocaine steroids, and thus this type of depression disappears with the disappearance of the causative agent.

Symptoms

In depression, we see various types of bad feelings that the patient may experience and not tell anyone about or may notice depressive symptoms on him, so the depressed patient experiences the following feelings:

• Sadness, frustration

• Loss of desire for daily activities or even activities that are pleasant for him

• Anxiety, constant stress and fear of the future

• Victim's sense of distrust or sense of worthlessness and feelings of slander

The depressed patient also suffers from:

• Difficulty in making any effort, no matter how simple, fatigue and exhaustion from the least daily tasks

• Sleep disturbances such as prolonged sleep or insomnia

• Problems in thinking such as excessive thinking, slow thinking and difficulty in making decisions

• Unexplained physical pains and aches such as headaches or abdominal pain.

• Melancholic thoughts about life and persistent thoughts about death and suicide

And the most dangerous thing that the patient may try is

• Self-harm

• Suicide attempt, which is the most dangerous of all.

Diagnosis

The doctor will examine your emotional state and ask you about your thoughts and go towards the appropriate treatment, what bothers you and consumes your thinking daily may be simpler treatment than you expect, but in the hands of an expert and specialist is the psychiatrist, usually useful taking information from the patient's family about his actions and psychological state. The diagnosis is determined accordingly, and there are no tests or other investigations to determine the diagnosis. The doctor may ask about the patient's thoughts about death and whether he has attempted suicide, this supports the diagnosis and directs the seriousness of the condition, as this condition requires medical consultation and admission to the hospital

Treatment

If you feel symptoms of depression (or notice it on a loved one), go straight to a specialist and not try to resolve things on your own. 

The treatment will take two parts, the part of the drugs, which are antidepressants and the daily behavioral part, or the so-called behavioral therapy. 

The most commonly used antidepressant medications are

 Serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as sertraline, which is the first line of treatment and the class of tricyclic antidepressants such as ampytriptylenin, and despite the effectiveness of drugs and their similar effect, the response to a particular drug and tolerance varies from patient to patient. If there is a family or personal history of taking a particular antidepressant medication and the response to it is better, it will be the first choice in treating the patient.

Duration of treatment

Antidepressants should be given from 6 to 12 months, in order to ensure that the patient does not relapse and the disease returns.

As for behavioral and speech therapy 

It is by talking to the patient and educating him more about his condition 

 Discussing a new lifestyle will help overcome depression.

Prevention

Avoid alcohol and drugs, as depression is commonly associated with it.

- Practice hobbies, recreational activities and exercise regularly

- Keeping in touch with family and friends as this keeps you in emotional balance away from depression and isolation

Spend less time in front of screens and social media, and instead engage in real-life group activities such as volunteer work.

- Manage stress appropriately for our ability and endurance, and practice meditation and yoga.

- Follow a healthy sleep routine.

Age group and gender

Females have depression more than males, twice as much as males

Heredity

Heredity, as mentioned, is the most powerful factor in depression

Complications of the disease

The most serious complications are:

• Self-harm

• Attempted suicide, or suicide