Diagnosis and Treatment: Depression
Depression
Depression is a mental illness that is characterized by overwhelming sadness, loss of interest in normal activities, withdrawal, weight-loss or weight-gain and trouble concentrating. Symptoms of depression will usually be accompanied by low self-esteem. People that are depressed will often feel tired, helpless, and worthless. In extreme cases of depression a person can even become suicidal. Depression is classified as a mood disorder. Depression is the most common mood disorder and most cases are treatable with medication, known as antidepressants, and/or therapy. People who are depressed should seek professional help. It is normal for a person to feel sad from time to time, especially when they have been extremely stressed or have experienced something troubling. This can be a normal reaction to life’s circumstances that sometimes get us down. Most people will “bounce back” in a reasonable amount of time. However, it is when feeling down lasts for more than a typical time period (i.e. weeks, months, or even years) that it can begin to pose a problem and medical treatment should be sought out. When depression persists it can become worse and other problems can arise. As Axia reading states,”some depressions can become so intense that people can become psychotic- that is they lose touch with reality” (Morris & Maisto). Some people will become paranoid and think that everyone is somehow against them. Some people who are severely depressed may have thoughts of suicide and may even try to take their own lives because the despair they are feeling becomes too much to bear. As soon as a person recognizes that they are depressed, beyond what may be defined as ordinary sadness, they should seek medical advice from a doctor, who may refer them to a mental health professional. An accurate diagnosis for depression can sometimes be difficult because there is no way to test for depression, such as in a laboratory, other than from what is
Depression is a mental illness that is characterized by overwhelming sadness, loss of interest in normal activities, withdrawal, weight-loss or weight-gain and trouble concentrating. Symptoms of depression will usually be accompanied by low self-esteem. People that are depressed will often feel tired, helpless, and worthless. In extreme cases of depression a person can even become suicidal. Depression is classified as a mood disorder. Depression is the most common mood disorder and most cases are treatable with medication, known as antidepressants, and/or therapy. People who are depressed should seek professional help. It is normal for a person to feel sad from time to time, especially when they have been extremely stressed or have experienced something troubling. This can be a normal reaction to life’s circumstances that sometimes get us down. Most people will “bounce back” in a reasonable amount of time. However, it is when feeling down lasts for more than a typical time period (i.e. weeks, months, or even years) that it can begin to pose a problem and medical treatment should be sought out. When depression persists it can become worse and other problems can arise. As Axia reading states,”some depressions can become so intense that people can become psychotic- that is they lose touch with reality” (Morris & Maisto). Some people will become paranoid and think that everyone is somehow against them. Some people who are severely depressed may have thoughts of suicide and may even try to take their own lives because the despair they are feeling becomes too much to bear. As soon as a person recognizes that they are depressed, beyond what may be defined as ordinary sadness, they should seek medical advice from a doctor, who may refer them to a mental health professional. An accurate diagnosis for depression can sometimes be difficult because there is no way to test for depression, such as in a laboratory, other than from what is