WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

The term "depression" refers to a mood disorder. It might be characterised as melancholy, grief, or rage that interferes with daily tasks.

Also, it's very typical. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrusted Source, 18.5% of American adults experienced depressive Symptoms at some point during a two-week period in 2019.

Despite the similarities between depression and grief, sadness or grief experienced after a tragic incident or the loss of a loved one are not the same as depression. Grief normally does not involve self-hatred or a loss of self-esteem, although depression frequently does.

Positive feelings and joyful recollections of the deceased frequently go hand in hand with emotional suffering while someone is grieving. Sadness is a persistent feeling in major depressive disorder.

Depression manifests itself differently for each person. Your everyday tasks could be hampered, resulting in lost time and decreased production. Relationships and some chronic medical disorders may also be affected.

Depression can cause certain conditions, such as:

• Asthma

• Arthritis

• Cancer 

• Cardiovascular disease's

• Diabetes

• Obesity 

It's critical to understand that experiencing sadness occasionally is a natural aspect of life. Everyone experiences sad and disturbing things in life. But if you frequently feel depressed or hopeless, you may be suffering from depression.

SYMPTOMS:

Depression can be more than just a persistently depressed or "blue" feeling.

A major depressive episode can manifest in a number of ways. Some influence your body while others influence your mood. Additionally, symptoms might continue or come and go.

The symptoms of depression vary from person to person. The degree, regularity, and duration of symptoms can all vary.

You may have depression if you have experienced some of the warning signs and symptoms listed below nearly every day for at least two weeks:

• Feeling empty or sad 

• Hopeless feeling

• Crying alot 

• Feeling angry or annoyed

• Loss of interest 

• Decreased energy and muscle fatigue

• Face difficulty in concentrating and making decisions.

• Sleeplessness

• Loss of appetite

• Negative thoughts

TREATMENT:

One type of treatment can be enough to effectively control your symptoms, or you might discover that a mix of treatments is most effective.

Combining medical therapy with lifestyle therapies is frequent and includes the following:

SELECTIVE SEROTONIN RE-UP TAKE INHIBITOR (SSRI)

The most popular antidepressant drugs are SSRIs, which also have a reputation for having few negative effects. By raising the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin that is available in your brain, they can alleviate depression.

Certain medications, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and occasionally thioridazine or Orap, should not be taken with SSRIs (pimozide).

The dangers of using SSRIs while pregnant should be discussed with healthcare providers by women who are pregnant. If you have narrow-angle glaucoma, you should also exercise caution.

Examples of SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil XR, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft).

SEROTONIN AND NOR EPINEPHRINE RE-UP TAKE INHIBITOR

By raising the levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain, SNRIs can alleviate depression.

MAOIs and SNRIs shouldn't be combined. If you suffer from narrow-angle glaucoma, liver, or renal disease, you should proceed with caution.

Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla), duloxetine (Cymbalta, Irenka), milnacipran (Savella), levomilnacipran (Fetzima), and venlafaxine are a few examples of SNRIs (Effexor XR).

TRICYCLIC AND TETRACYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS

The neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine are increased in your brain as a result of taking tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and tetracyclic antidepressants (TECAs), which are used to treat depression.

TCAs are more likely than SSRIs or SNRIs to have adverse effects. TCAs and TECAs should not be taken alongside MAOIs. If you have narrow-angle glaucoma, use with caution.

Amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), trimipramine (Surmontil), desipramine (Norpramin), nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl), and protriptyline are a few examples of tricyclic antidepressants (Vivactil).

There are other medications also for depression which are prescribed by Doctor's.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

You can develop coping mechanisms for unpleasant emotions by speaking with a therapist. Sessions in family or group therapy may also be helpful to you.

When a person meets with a qualified therapist for psychotherapy, commonly referred to as "talk therapy," they discuss the issues that contribute to their mental health condition, such as depression, and learn coping mechanisms.

It has been demonstrated that psychotherapy is a successful treatment for reducing symptoms in patients with depression and other psychiatric diseases.

Drug therapy is frequently used with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy comes in a wide variety of forms, and some people respond better to one form than another.

SUMMARY 

Depression may be a short-term problem or a chronic one. Depression doesn't always totally disappear after treatment.

Treatment, however, frequently helps symptoms become more tolerable. Finding the ideal mix of treatments and drugs is essential for managing the symptoms of depression.

Consult your healthcare provider if a treatment doesn't work. They can work with you to develop an alternative treatment plan that might be more effective in assisting you in managing your illness.