Compared to other mental disorders, depression is the most common ailment that afflicts many people worldwide regardless of gender and age. The World Health Organization reports that there are no less than 120 million people affected by this debilitating disorder.
Common Depression Symptoms
A higher incidence of depression is apparently due to the stressful lifestyle of today’s modern living. For this cause, depression should be immediately treated once symptoms are present. Incidence of depression from mild to severe can be treated by medical health professionals who are trained to deal with this illness.
Common signs and symptoms of depression include change in sleeping and eating habits, low self-esteem, sudden disinterest in hobbies and activities, loss of focus on tasks, social withdrawal, and lethargy.
Most people ignore these symptoms thinking that this is common when you feel down from time to time; however, untreated recurring bouts of depression become complicated and may get into a more severe type of depression known as bipolar depression. Studies has conclusively presented that there is a high correlation amongst depression and suicide.
Health Care and Medication
The most important solution to depression is effective primary health care. Whenever signs manifests, the sufferer should immediately consult a psychiatrist for a complete assessment of how severe the type of depression could be.There are several types of depression, these are Seasonal Affective Disorder, Postpartum(for women who gave birth), substance induced, bipolar disorder, major depression, and psychotic.
Once the type of depression has been diagnosed by the psychiatrist, an appropriate medication regime can be prescribed. Depression can be usually treated by antidepressants such as Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) or Serotonin and Norepinephrine Re-uptake Inhibitors (SNRI). There are new types of medicines that functions by correcting the brain’s chemical imbalance making one’s mood enhanced. An increased level of Norepinephrine helps fight depression. There are other types of depression ( like bipolar disorder) that are unresponsive to mild medications and can only be treated with Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) . But take caution, MAOIs cannot be easily tolerated because of unpleasant side effects. It is also possible to combine drug medication and psychotherapy to have a better chance to remedy depression.
The Power of Sleep
Sharing thoughts to a mental health professional is also comforting and therapeutic. One best thing to combat depression is to have an adequate 7-8 hours of sleep. This will relax the body and mind, thus building a strong immunity against other illness.
Fiona Clarkson has been in the field of mental illness help for a long time and have a website on mental health depression where you can get answers to the rest of your questions.