Depression Essay, Research Paper

Depression, it s something all of us have experienced in some point and time in our lives, whether it was for a day or for years. Most of the people that it affects aren t even aware of the serious complications depression creates and if they are they don t admit to themselves they would be clinically diagnosed with depression. It is the second most common health problem; anxiety is the first. Depression is known as the common cold of mental illness. There are many causes for depression. They consist of psychological, genetic, hereditary, or environmental. Psychological depression can be a result of a death of a family member. This is also known as mourning. Serotonin and norepinephrine, a chemical produced in the brain, is not produced in an adequate amount. This is the effect of genetic depression. This causes the feeling of intense sadness. Environmental depression is also known as S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). This is caused when a person is sensitive to seasonal changes. Hereditary is the most common causes and it is also tricky. It is passed down from past generations and sometimes the defect skips generations. There are several types of depression. There are manic depression, clinical depression, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and postpartum depression. Manic depression is an extremity of moods, going from sheer happiness to severe depression. Premenstrual syndrome and postpartum depression are found only in women. Premenstrual syndrome is caused by hormone changes prior to menstruation. Many women suffer postpartum depression after giving childbirth. Many people who are severely depressed, don t want to believe they are suffering. If they are left untreated, it can result in alcohol and/or drug abuse, disturbed relationships, criminal activities, homicide, or possibly suicide. Many parents of depressed children don t know their children are suffering. The parents believe their children s actions and emotions to be either crankiness or rebellion. People who suffer manic depression have two symptom phases, a manic phase and a depressed phase. For those that are diagnosed with this mental illness there are treatment programs to resolve depression such as therapy, prescription drugs, hospitalization, and shock therapy also known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Therapy consists of talking to a therapist also known as shrinks similar to the stereotype of sitting in a chair and describing all your problems while they listen to you and nit pick your brain. Hospitalization is used for people that are seriously depressed. People are admitted into hospitals either because there is a concern that they may hurt themselves or others around them. People with depression are usually forced into being hospitalized, but they can also volunteer themselves. People volunteer sometimes so that they can be in a controlled environment; they are in a safe place so that they don t harm others or themselves. If the volunteer to visit the hospital they remain there until they feel that comfortable and stable enough to cope with themselves in the general public. If the depressed person is forced to stay hospitalized by law or by family and friends, they can t leave until therapist view that they are no longer a threat to society or themselves. Prescription drugs can be used in combination with any of these other treatment methods with an exception to shock treatment. It is used to help balance out certain chemicals in the brain. Two of the most common drugs prescribed to depressed individuals are Paxil and Prozac. Shock therapy is a very controversial method of treatment. It was developed for people with certain physical conditions and can t take the medications necessary for improvement and is only used in extreme cases of depression. Doctors place tiny electrodes on the patient s scalp and send small electrical currents to the temples. This process is done in short intervals and the patient usually has it done numerous times. This process can result in temporary or in some cases permanent memory loss. Moreover, as you have been brought to realize there are many different things that can put someone into a state of depression and there are several types of depression someone can be diagnosed with. One thing is certain depression is a mental illness that occurs to almost everyone and is a fact of life. The first step is to stop denying ones self of their temporary set back, then and only then, can they move forward by seeking a treatment method appropriate for them to become fully functional as he or she was before. Whether it s through a clinic, support from family and friends, or an institution. If the person doesn t snap out of the state of mind there in and seek help the illness may result in loss of social life, current job, academic achievements, family, or even their life.