Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms and Causes

Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms and Causes

Depression. A word we hear often but it is deeper than feelings of sadness. Depression is not something we can simply turn off or reverse by pure will power. So what is depression? Depression is a common mental health condition that can happen to ANYONE. It is characterized by a loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. It can have a major impact on a person's emotional and physical well being. Depression can look different in different people; however, there are some common signs, symptoms and causes we can be mindful of.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Depression, also known as clinical depression, can range in intensity. It is often diagnosed as Mild, Moderate or Severe. The official diagnosis can be given by a medical or a licensed mental health professional. The DSM V-TR and standardized assessments are often used to make this diagnosis. Depression can also be identified in different types of brain scans. So what signs might we notice related to depression? Some of the most common signs we may see include loss of interest, excessive drowsiness, irritability, isolation, and pessimism. A person experiencing depression may also experience a disruption in: mood, sleep, interpersonal skills, every day living skills, physical well being, behavior, and cognition. It is so much more complex that "being sad."

• Mood: a person experiencing depression may have feelings of anxiety, apathy, guilt, hopelessness, sadness, loss of interest, irritability, and mood swings.
• Sleep: A person's sleep pattern may become disrupted. For some it's a need to sleep more often. Regardless of the amount of sleep, there is still a feeling of exhaustion. For others sleep may become more difficult and restless. Restless sleep can often be attributed to anxious thoughts and feelings. Even if we are not actively having anxious thoughts at the time of sleep, our bodies may be in a state of fight or flight from high levels of anxiety. This may make sleep more difficult.
• Interpersonal skills: Isolation from social activities and communication is often a symptom of depression. It is important to note that many individuals experiencing depression can become very good at masking their symptoms around others. What we see, may not always be what is true.
• Every day living skills: Some of our basic habits and routines can be interrupted from depression. In moderate and severe depression a person may struggle to complete basic self care tasks such as exercising or showering. These basic tasks can feel overwhelming or the motivation for self care is absent.
• Physical well being: a person may experience a decrease or increase in appetite, overall restlessness, fatigue, and weight loss or gain. Depression can also have a physical impact on our brain function.
• Behavior: Common behavioral symptoms include excess crying, social isolation, irritability and in some cases aggression.
• Cognition: lack of concentration, forgetfulness, loss of mental clarity, rumination, negative thought patterns, disassociation and suicidal thoughts.

*If you or anyone you know are experiencing thoughts of self harm or suicide please seek immediate help. There are ways to get through the painful tunnel of depression and its related symptoms and thoughts.

Causes:

So what causes depression? This answer is far from simple. A number of factors can play a role in the onset of depression. Genetics, illnesses, trauma, abuse, grief, major life milestones, etc. On top of a predisposition for depression in our genes, life events play a major role in the onset of depression. Accepting and coping with an illness with ourselves or a loved one can be emotionally taxing, especially if the illness causes chronic pain. Trauma, including abuse, can be difficult events to acknowledge, process, or accept. In many cases trauma can rewire our brains to set off "alarms" in our body for invalid reasons. This can cause a person to experience an increase in fight or flight responses, creating a catalyst on the potential onset of depression. Grief can be a difficult experience to understand. It triggers a response similar to a roller coaster of emotions with no end in sight for relief. Although grief is different than depression it can sometimes develop into depression. Then we have major life milestones. Graduation, purchasing a home, having children, children moving out, divorce, retirement, and so many more. Major changes in life can cause a disruption to our routine and future outlook. Some of these life adjustments can be difficult and contribute to mood changes and depression.

When to seek help:

As noted above, if you or anyone you know is experiencing thoughts of self harm or suicide please seek immediate help. Depression has a countless number of treatment modalities including the most common of medication and therapy. I often relate to it as life flame. If you feel your flame in life is low or significantly low, therapy is a great place to start. Individual Therapy can help you identify causes and work towards relief of the depressive symptoms. This will help add fuel to your flame and you will slowly see it rise back up. If you feel like your flame has been completely eliminated, medication in addition to therapy may be the best route. Think of the medication as the lighter to relight your flame. Therapy can't help grow a flame if it is completely out. With a therapist you can identify the best treatment approach for you and begin the path back to feeling whole.