Why depression is important?

Everyone experiences low from time to time. Circumstances can cause you to feel low or sad, but in most cases, the feelings of sadness resolve in a short time. Depression is a mood disorder that can become serious if left untreated and even life-threatening. There are multiple types of depressive disorders, but each typically involves a standard set of symptoms. Symptoms of depression may include:

• Feelings of sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
• Irritability or angry outbursts
• Loss of interest in once enjoyed activities
• Sleep difficulties including sleeping too much or inability to sleep
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Anxiety or restlessness
• Slower thinking, speaking, and body movements than normal
• Fixation on self-blame
• Trouble concentrating
• The trouble with memory and thinking
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Physical aches and pains with no underlying medical cause
• Social issues

If you have been experiencing any suicidal thoughts, reach out for help immediately. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Most experts agree that depression is caused by a combination of factors that include brain chemistry, environment, and family history. How each of these combines to cause, depression isn’t entirely clear. People who have relatives with depression are more likely to experience depression, but this may not be about genetics. We learn behaviors and ways of handling things in our families, and behavior can be learned.

Treatment for depression often includes medication that targets serotonin in the brain, one of several neurotransmitters that are thought to be responsible for depression. Treatment also usually involves talk therapy, which can take several different forms. Therapy may help you to learn new ways of thinking and behaving that can support healing from depression. Coping skills for intense emotions can also be learned in therapy. Most importantly, therapy can be a safe place to discuss things that may sometimes be hard to find with friends and family.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, talk with your doctor or licensed mental health professional about what you’re experiencing. They can work with you to evaluate your symptoms and develop a treatment plan to get you on the road to recovery. If you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.