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Ima ge des crip

Depression

Everyonefeelssadsometimes,particularlywhenfacedwithlossorgrief,butdepressionismore
thanlowmoodandsadnessataloss.Itisaseriousmedicalcondition.Itistheresultofchemical
imbalancesinthebrain.Apersonwithdepressionfeelsextremelysad,dejectedandunmotivated.
Depression is common
Oneinfivewomenandoneineightmenwillexperiencedepressionatsometimeintheirlife.The
goodnewsisthatjustlikeaphysicalillness,depressionistreatableandeffectivetreatmentsare
available.
Symptoms of depression
Youmayhavedepressionif,formorethantwoweeks,youhavefeltsad,downormiserablemost
ofthetime,orhavelostinterestorpleasureinmostofyourusualactivities,andifyouhavealso
experiencedseveralofthesymptomsacrossatleastthreeofthegroupsofsymptomsbelow.
Rememberthateveryoneexperiencessomeofthesesymptomsfromtimetotimeitmaynot
necessarilymeanyouaredepressed.Equally,noteverypersonwhoisexperiencingdepressionwill
haveallofthesesymptoms.
Behavioural symptoms of depression
Apersonwithdepressionmay:
havestoppedgoingout
notbegettingthingsdoneatworkorschool
bewithdrawingfromclosefamilyandfriends
berelyingonalcoholandsedatives
havestoppedtheirusualenjoyableactivities
beunabletoconcentrate.
Thoughts caused by depression
Apersonwithdepressionmayhavethoughtssuchas:
Imafailure.
Itsmyfault.
Nothinggoodeverhappenstome.
Imworthless.
Lifesnotworthliving.
Peoplewouldbebetteroffwithoutme..
Feelings caused by depression
Apersonwithdepressionmayfeel:
overwhelmed
guilty
irritable
frustrated
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lackinginconfidence
unhappy
indecisive
disappointed
miserable
sad.
Physical symptoms of depression
Apersonwithdepressionmayexperience:
fatigue
feelingsickandrundown
headachesandmusclepains
churninggut
sleepproblems
lossorchangeofappetite
significantweightlossorgain.
Causes of depression
Generally,depressiondoesnotresultfromasingleevent,butfromamixofrecenteventsand
otherlonger-termorpersonalfactors,whichcausechemicalimbalancesinthebrain.Thesefactors
mightincludelifeevents,familyhistory,personality,seriousmedicalillness,anddrugandalcohol
use.
Youcantalwaysidentifythecauseofdepressionorchangedifficultcircumstances.Themost
importantthingistorecognisethesymptomsandseekhelp.
Life events and depression
Continuingdifficultiessuchaslong-termunemployment,livinginanabusiveoruncaring
relationship,long-termisolationorloneliness,orprolongedstressatworkaremorelikelyto
causedepressionthanrecentlifestresses.However,recentevents(suchaslosingajob)ora
combinationofeventscantriggerdepressioninpeoplewhoarealreadyatriskbecauseofpastbad
experiencesorpersonalfactors.
Family history and depression
Depressioncanruninfamilies,butthisdoesntmeanapersonwillautomaticallyexperience
depressionifacloserelativehashadtheillness.Otherfactorsarestillimportant.
Personality and depression
Somepeoplemaybemoreatriskbecauseoftheirpersonality,particularlyiftheytendtoworrya
lot,havelowself-esteem,areperfectionists,aresensitivetopersonalcriticism,orareself-critical
andnegative.
Serious medical illness and depression
Seriousillnessescanbringaboutdepressiondirectlyorcancontributetodepressionthroughthe
associatedstressandworry,especiallyifitinvolveslong-termmanagementofillnessorchronic
pain.
Drug and alcohol use and depression
Drugandalcoholusecanleadtoandresultfromdepression.Manypeoplewithdepressionalso
havedrugandalcoholproblems.
Changes in the brain and depression

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Wedonotfullyunderstandwhathappensinapersonsbraintocausedepression.Depressionmay
berelatedtochangesincertainchemicalsthatcarrymessageswithinthebrainparticularly
serotonin,norepinephrineanddopamine,thethreemainchemicalsrelatedtomoodand
motivation.Changestostress-hormonelevelsmayalsoplayapart.
Researchsuggeststhatbehaviourcanaffectbrainchemistryforexample,long-termstressmay
causechangesinthebrainthatcanleadtodepression.Changesinbrainchemistryhavebeen
morecommonlyassociatedwithseveredepressionthanwithmildormoderatedepression.
Seek help for symptoms of depression
Ifyouexperiencesomeormostofthesymptomsofdepression,seekadvicefromadoctoror
counsellor.Dont delay.Tacklingdepressionearlycanhelpyouaddressproblemsquicklyandstop
symptomsbecomingworse.
Depressionisoftennotrecognisedandcangoonformonthsorevenyearsifleftuntreated.A
rangeoftreatments,healthprofessionalsandservicesisavailable,andtherearemanythingsthat
peoplecandotohelpthemselves.Differenttypesofdepressionrequiredifferenttreatment.
Types of depression
Differenttypesofdepressionoftenhaveslightlydifferentsymptoms.Themaintypesofdepression
include:
majordepressivedisorder
bipolardisorder(usedtobecalledmanicdepression)
cyclothymicdisorder
dysthymia
seasonalaffectivedisorder(SAD).
Major depression
Sometimes,thisiscalledmajordepressivedisorder,clinicaldepression,unipolardepressionor
simplydepression.Symptomscaninclude:
lowmood
lossofinterestandpleasureinusualactivities
significantsleepdisturbance
lossofappetite
unexpectedweightloss
lossofenergy
feelingsofguiltorworthlessness
suicidalthoughts.
Apersonwithmajordepressionwillexperiencesymptomsnearlyeverydayforatleasttwoweeks.
Changesinlifestyleandattitudedonothelp.Thesymptomsinterferewithallareasofapersons
life,includingworkandsocialrelationships.
Majordepressionrequiresimmediateprofessionalhelpitisaseriousmedicalcondition.
Melancholia
Thetermmelancholiadescribesasevereformofdepressioninvolvingmanyofthephysical
symptomsofdepression.Forexample,thepersonmovesmoreslowlyandismorelikelytohave
depressedmoodcharacterisedbycompletelossofpleasureineverythingoralmosteverything.
Psychotic depression
Sometimes,peoplewithadepressivedisordercanlosetouchwithreality.Psychosiscaninvolve
hallucinations(seeingorhearingthingsthatarenotthere)ordelusions(falsebeliefsthatarenot
sharedbyotherpeople).Apersonwithpsychoticdepressionmaybelievetheyarebadorevil,
beingwatchedorfollowed,orthateveryoneisagainstthem(paranoia),orthattheyarethecause
ofillnessorbadeventsoccurringaroundthem.

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Antenatal and postnatal depression
Womenareathigherriskofdepressionduringpregnancyandintheyearfollowingchildbirth.The
causesofdepressionatthistimecanbecomplex.Inthedaysimmediatelyfollowingbirth,upto80
percentofwomenexperiencethebabybluesacommonconditionrelatedtohormonalchanges
butthisisdifferentfromdepression.
Depressionislonger-lastingandcanaffectnotonlythemother,butherrelationshipwithherbaby,
thechildsdevelopment,themothersrelationshipwithherpartnerandothermembersofthe
family.Uptoonein10womenwillexperiencedepressionduringpregnancy.Thisincreasestoone
inseveninthefirstthreemonthsafterhavingababy.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolardisorderusedtobecalledmanicdepressionbecausethepersonexperiencesperiodsof
depressionandperiodsofmania.Inbetween,thereareperiodsofnormalmood.Maniaislikethe
oppositeofdepressionandcanvaryinintensitysymptomsincludefeelinggreat,havingplentyof
energy,racingthoughts,littleneedforsleep,talkingfast,havingdifficultyfocusingontasks,and
feelingfrustratedandirritable.Thisisnotjustafleetingexperience.
Sometimes,thepersonlosestouchwithrealityandhasepisodesofpsychosis.Thisinvolves
hallucinationsordelusions.Bipolardisorderseemstobemostcloselylinkedtofamilyhistory.
Stressandconflictcantriggerepisodesforpeoplewiththiscondition.
Cyclothymic disorder
Cyclothymicdisorderisoftendescribedasamilderformofbipolardisorder.Theperson
experienceschronicfluctuatingmoodsoveratleasttwoyears,involvingperiodsofhypomania(a
mildtomoderatelevelofmania)andperiodsofdepressivesymptomswithveryshortperiods
(nomorethantwomonths)ofnormalitybetween.Thesymptomslastforashorterperiodoftime,
arelesssevere,andnotasregularasthoseofbipolardisorderormajordepression.
Dysthymia
Dysthymia(ordysthmicdisorder)hassymptomssimilartomajordepression,butlesssevere.
However,symptomsofdysthymialastlongerthanthoseofmajordepression.Apersonhastohave
thismilderformofdepressionformorethantwoyearstobediagnosedwithdysthymia.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
SADisamooddisorderthathasaseasonalpattern.Thecauseisunclear,butmayberelatedto
thevariationinlightexposureindifferentseasons.SADischaracterisedbymooddisturbances
(eitherperiodsofdepressionormania)thatbeginandendinaparticularseason.Depressionin
winteronlyisthemostcommon.
SADisusuallydiagnosedafterthepersonhashadthesamesymptomsduringwinterfortwoor
moreyears.PeoplewithSADaremorelikelytoexperiencelackofenergy,sleeptoomuch,
overeat,gainweightandcravecarbohydrates.SADisrareinAustralia,andmorelikelytobefound
inplaceswithshortwinterdayssuchasScandinavia.
Where to get help
Yourdoctor
Localcommunityhealthcentre
beyondbluesupportserviceTel.1300224636
LifelineTel.131114
KidsHelplineTel.1800551800
SuicideLineTel.1300651251
SANEMentalHealthInformationLineTel.1800187263,MondaytoFriday,9amto5pm
AustralianPsychologicalSocietyFindapsychologistserviceTel.1800333497
AREFEMI(AssociationofRelativesandFriendsoftheEmotionallyandMentallyIll)Tel.(03)
98109300

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Things to remember
Depressionisaconstantfeelingofdejectionandloss,whichstopsyoudoingyournormal
activities.
Different types of depression exist, with symptoms ranging from relatively minor (but disabling) to very
severe.
Generally,depressiondoesnotresultfromasingleevent,butfromamixofeventsand
factors,whichcausechemicalimbalancesinthebrain.
Ifyoufeeldepressed,seeyourdoctorforanassessment.Dontdelay.Tackledepression
earlytoaddressproblemsquicklyandstopsymptomsbecomingworse.

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