What is Depression?
Depression is a mood confusion that causes an unrelenting feeling of sadness and loss of attention. Also called major depressive chaos or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave.
Types of Depression
Depressions can be classified simply into three types.
Major depression has a biological or endogenous origin, with a more significant genetic component and fewer external factors. It can appear recurrently and, in some cases, is related to the year’s season. In contrast, reactive sadness causes by poor edition to stressful environmental circumstances.
The dysthymia, formerly known as depressive neurosis, is characterized by depressive symptoms less intense than the above, chronic evolution (over two years) without asymptomatic periods, and feelings of inadequacy and somatization. The latter type of depression seems to be more closely related to personality and prolonged stress.
Finally, there is a type of unhappiness called masked, which instead of manifesting itself with the symptoms already mentioned, appears as organic discomfort -somatizations- or changes in behavior.
What are the Causes of Depression?
Except for some cases of depression associated with organic diseases (Parkinson’s disease, tuberculosis, etc.), depression is generally produced by the interaction of certain biological factors (hormonal changes, alterations in brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, genetic components, etc.), with psychosocial factors (stressful circumstances in affective, work or relationship life) and personality (especially, their psychological defense mechanisms).
1. Fatigue or consistently Energy Levels
Fatigue is a common symptom of depression. Occasionally, we all know lower energy levels and feel lethargic in the morning, wanting to watch TV lying down instead of going to work.
Although we often think of burnout due to stress, depression can also cause fatigue. However, contrary to daily exhaustion, depression-related fatigue can also cause concentration problems, feelings of irritability, and listlessness.
Dr. Maurizio Fava, Director of the Clinical Study Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, notes that depressed people frequently experience unrefreshing sleep, meaning they feel lethargic even after a whole night’s rest.
2. Decreased Tolerance to Pain (that is, everything hurts more)
Have you ever felt like your worries are on fire, and you still can’t find any physical reason for your pain? Depression and grief appear to coexist often. A 2015 study showed a correlation flanked by people who are depressed and decreased pain tolerance, while another 2010 study showed that pain had a significant effect on people who were depressed.
These two symptoms do not have a clear cause-and-effect relationship. Still, it is essential to evaluate them together, especially if your Doctor commends media using antidepressants to help relieve depression. Still, they can also act as a pain reliever to fight pain.
3. Back pain or General Muscle Pain
You might feel good in the morning, but once you’re working or sitting at a desk in school, your back starts to hurt. This could be stress, or it could be depression. Although often associated with poor posture or injury, back pain can also be a symptom of psychological stress.
Psychologists and psychiatrists have always considered that emotional problems can cause chronic aches and pains. However, specific points, such as the relationship between depression and the body’s inflammatory response, are being investigated. More recent studies suggest that inflammation in the body may have something to do with the neurocircuits in our brain. Inflammation is thought to disrupt signals from the brain and therefore may produce a role in depression and how we luxury it.
4. Headaches
Most of us experience occasional headaches. These are so common that we often think of them as nothing serious. Stressful work situations can trigger these headaches, such as conflict with coworkers. However, it could be that your headache isn’t always stress-induced, especially if you’ve tolerated your coworker before. If you notice a change in your daily headaches, it could be a sign of depression.
Unlike excruciating migraine headaches, depression-related headaches don’t necessarily impede a person’s activity. This type of headache can be mild throbbing, especially around the eyebrows. The National Headache Foundation describes it as “tension headaches.”
6. Stomach Pain or Discomfort in the Abdomen
That feeling of anguish in your stomach is one of the most recognized signs of depression. However, when your Abdomen starts cramping, it’s easy to think of it as gas or period pain.
Worsening pain, especially when stress increases, can be a sign of depression. Researchers at Harvard Medical School suggest that an upset stomach such as colic, bloating, and nausea can be a sign of deprived mental health.
What is the relationship? According to Harvard researchers, depression can cause (or the result of) an inflamed digestive system, with pain that can easily mistake for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or short-tempered bowel syndromes. Eating a balanced diet and taking probiotic bacterium can improve people’s gut health, improving mood, but further research requires.
Symptoms of Depression in Children and Adolescents
The common signs and symptoms of depression in children and teens are similar to those in adults, but some changes may be.
In younger families, symptoms of depression may include desolation, irritability, attachment, worry, pain, refusal to go to school, or low weight.
In adolescents, symptoms can include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor school attendance, sensation misunderstood and extreme sensitivity, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, wasting interest in usual evading social interaction.
Symptoms of Depression in Adults
Depression is not an average share of aging, and it should never take lightly. Unfortunately, depression is often undiagnosed and undiagnosed in older adults, who may be reluctant to seek help. Symptoms of unhappiness may be different or less evident in significant adults, including:
- Recollection problems or personality changes
- Physical pain
- Fatigue, loss of craving, sleep problems, or loss of interest in sex that is not the result of disease or medicine
- Wanting to stay home often, instead of going out to socialize or do new things
- Unhappy thoughts or spirits, especially in older men
When to see the Doctor
If you’re feeling depressed, make an appointment with a doctor or mental health professional as soon as possible. If you don’t want to seek treatment, talk to a friend or loved one, any healthcare provider, religious leader, or someone else you trust.
