My Fun Blog - Health

Only twenty years ago, teenage depression was extremely scarce and almost unknown. Nowadays, depression among young people has the highest rate of increase. This can be explained by the major changes in society, where our basic needs and goals are no longer automatically met. Teenagers are constantly fed with all sorts of information on the way they are supposed to look and what they should have.

During adolescence, the pressure to conform with their peers is incredibly high. If they feel inadequate, different or deprived in a certain way, they find it very difficult to deal with it and depression is a possible outcome.

Symptoms of Teenage Depression

In addition to the classic symptoms of adult depression, teenage depression has some other symptoms too:

• Decreased performance in school
• Change in appearance and personal hygiene
• Destructive or defiant behavior
• Hallucinations or unrealistic beliefs
• Significant changes in appetite or weight
• Agitation or slowness
• Low energy level, tiredness
• Excessive feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• Thoughts about life not being worth living

Causes of Teenage Depression

Teenage depression is often caused by different triggers than in adults, such as:

Social rejection

Family problems

Failing exams

Even though many of the events that lead to teenage depression may appear less significant to adults, it is rather the depressed person’s perception than the situation itself that is actually important .

Teenage Depression and Suicide

The suicide rate among teenagers and young adults is three times higher than in 1970. About 90% of teenage suicide cases are associated with a diagnosis of mental illness, especially depression. In 1996, suicide was the 4 th most important cause of death for kids between 10 to 14 years old and the 3 rd for those between 15 and 24 years old.

This shows that teenagers and young people are not only becoming more depressed, but also responding to this depression by ending their lives. This may be caused by the high pressure felt by teens, in conjunction with their lack of experience. Experience often tells us that all situations, no matter how bad they seem, tend to get better later on. Teenagers also lack the ability of more subtle thinking, usually possessing a “black or white”, “all or nothing” thinking style.

Most people commit suicide because they are faced with what seems to be an intolerable situation. They do not necessarily want to die, but find there is no other way to run from it.

Antidepressants are often prescribed in cases of teenage depression. However, there hasn’t been enough research to prove their effectiveness. Teenagers who suffer from depression have different chemical changes than adult sufferers. Antidepressants are aimed to treat these chemical changes. However, the same medication is prescribed for both teens and adults, despite the fact that they experience different changes.

In fact, even the way the brain is functioning is different to teenagers. For example, the frontal lobe is still developing until the age of twenty.

Consequently, teenage depression is quite different from adult depression and needs a different approach in order to be cured. Many experts are reserved in treating it with medication, focusing rather on different kinds of psychotherapy to help adolescence overcome their illness.

Self-help books:

Conquering Stress - How You Can Conquer Stress, Depression, & Anxiety, Quickly, Naturally & Permanently, And Enjoy A Brighter, Happier Future. WIth No drug, no potions, and no Quackery. 

7 Steps To A Depression Free Life - an Easy to Follow, Step-By-Step, Roadmap for Beating Depression No Matter What Your Past Experience . . .

Manic depression symptoms include extreme mood swings, from very high or irritable to depressive and hopeless and back again. These contrasting periods are called episodes of mania and depression. The sufferer also experiences periods of normal mood between these episodes.

Mania Symptoms

Common symptoms of the manic episode include:

• High energy level, intense activity and restlessness
• Excessively good, euphoric mood
• Exaggerated irritability
• Racing thoughts, speaking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
• Decreased ability to focus
• Little sleep
• Unrealistic beliefs in own capacities
• Spending sprees
• Poor judgment
• Unusual behavior for a longer period
• Higher sexual drive
• Abuse of drugs, alcohol, and sleeping pills
• Aggressive or provocative behavior
• Denial that anything from what he/she does is wrong

A manic episode diagnosis requires either an elevated mood associated with at least three other symptoms or an irritable mood with at least four other symptoms for more than one week.

A milder level of mania is called hypomania. This may feel good to the individual who experiences it and can sometimes be associated with high productivity. Even though friends and family members may notice some manic depression symptoms, the sufferer usually denies it. If left untreated, hypomania can turn into more severe mania forms and can also switch into depression.

Depressive Episode Symptoms

During the depressive episode, the following symptoms are experienced more often:

• Long lasting sad, empty or anxious mood
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feelings of excessive guilt, helplessness or worthlessness
• Decreased interest in activities that used to be enjoyed, including sex
• Low energy level, tiredness
• Decreased ability to focus, remember or make decisions
• Agitation or irritability
• Sleeping disorders
• Significant changes in eating patterns and body weight
• Unexplained physical pain
• Preoccupation with death and suicide, even suicidal attempts

During a depressive episode, at least five of these symptoms last for most of the day, almost every day for more than two weeks.

Additional Manic Depression Symptoms

More severe manic depression forms can include psychotic symptoms as well, such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not actually there) and delusions (false, unreasonable thinking).These symptoms usually reflect either a mania or depression episode. For example, during mania, common psychotic symptoms are delusions of grandiosity or thinking one is a king or has superhuman powers. During depression, sufferers may feel extremely guilty or think they have committed atrocious crimes.

Manic depression symptoms characteristic to mania or depression episodes can sometimes occur together in a mixed bipolar state. During this mixed state, symptoms include sleeping disorders, changes in eating patterns, agitation, psychosis and suicidal thoughts. The patient may experience a very sad and low mood, while in the same time having a very high energy level.

Manic depression symptoms are often mistaken for drug abuse, decreased school or work performance or unfortunate relationships. Such problems can actually be the first signs of a mental illness.

Self-help books:

Conquering Stress - How You Can Conquer Stress, Depression, & Anxiety, Quickly, Naturally & Permanently, And Enjoy A Brighter, Happier Future. WIth No drug, no potions, and no Quackery. 

7 Steps To A Depression Free Life - an Easy to Follow, Step-By-Step, Roadmap for Beating Depression No Matter What Your Past Experience . . .

Many artists, writers and musician have suffered from the mood swings of manic depression. Therefore there is a tendency to romanticize this mental disorder. But the truth is it has actually ruined many lives and without proper treatment, there is a high risk of suicide.

What Is Manic Depression?

Manic Depression , also known as bipolar disorder, is a severe mental illness that causes extreme mood swings and sudden changes in energy and functioning. Both men and women have the same chance to develop it, usually during adolescence or early adulthood. It has three episodes: depression, mania and mixed manic depression state. Symptoms may become more and more frequent, often interfering with work, school or social life.

Manic Depression Symptoms

Depression

Depression episodes include symptoms such as persistent sad mood, decreased interest and pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, changes in appetite and body weight, sleep disorders, physical agitation or retardation and exaggerated preoccupation with suicide and death.

Mania

Mania symptoms include unusually high mood or irritability, combined with three or more of the following symptoms:

• exaggerated self-esteem
• decreased need for sleep
• excessive talkativeness
• racing thoughts
• increased goal-directed activities (e.g.,shopping)
• involvement in risky activities

Mixed State: Manic Depression

Symptoms of both mania and depression are experienced in the same time. The most common ones are agitation, sleeping disorders, appetite changes, psychosis and suicidal thoughts. Depressed moods are mixed with manic activation.

While at first the manic depressed person may have periods with few or no symptoms, the number of episodes increases in time. In severe cases, the patient has psychosis symptoms as well, such as hallucinations or delusions.

Manic Depression Treatment

Several medications are used to treat manic depression, but sometimes the symptoms are not completely eliminated. Certain forms of psychotherapy accompanied with medication have proved very efficient. Therapies include cognitive behavioral, interpersonal. social rhythm and family therapy, as well as psychoeducation.

Lithium has been used for a very long time and has a highly effective mood-stabilization action for many patients suffering from manic depression. Alternative medication for lithium includes anticonvulsant medications, such as valproate and carbamazepine. Other treatments, such as lamotrigine, topiramate or gabapentrin are currently tested for efficacy in dealing with manic depression symptoms.

Depressive episodes often require additional antidepressant medication along with anticonvulsant treatments. Lithium or anticonvulsant medicines are prescribed together with antidepressants to prevent a sudden switch into mania or rapid cycling. Several antidepressants are being currently tested to compare their efficacy.

There are also some cases when newer drugs, such as olanzapine or clozapine can help reducing severe manic depression symptoms and prevent the recurrence of mania. Researchers are still studying the efficacy and safety of atypical antipsychotics as persistent treatment for bipolar disorder.

Self-help books:

Conquering Stress - How You Can Conquer Stress, Depression, & Anxiety, Quickly, Naturally & Permanently, And Enjoy A Brighter, Happier Future. WIth No drug, no potions, and no Quackery. 

7 Steps To A Depression Free Life - an Easy to Follow, Step-By-Step, Roadmap for Beating Depression No Matter What Your Past Experience . . .

Though you don’t have to be a woman to suffer from anxiety depression syndrome, it certainly does help. There are about twice as many women than man who seek treatment this mental disorder.

While some studies have shown that women really suffer from this type of mental illness more than men, others claim that it is other factors that show a higher rate in women than in men, such as the fact that women are more likely to seek treatment. However, anxiety depression is a very common mental illness, affecting a very high percentage of the whole population.

But Don’t We All Feel That Way?

All of us are anxious and depressed on occasion. When you are planning a wedding or preparing for the most important exam in your life, it is natural to feel restless and not be able to sleep. After someone you loved has passed away, you will probably feel sad and depressed for a few weeks. It’s also natural to feel more tired than usual after a busy week when you’ve been working really hard.

All these probably sound familiar to any of us. They are all normal feelings and responses to certain events in human life. We all feel more tired than usual, anxious or sad for short periods of time, but these feelings generally fade out after a while. If you’ve just changed your life, got married or divorced, gave birth to a baby, someone you love fell sick, you’ve had a fight with a friend or have financial problems, these feelings are normal.

Even positive events in our life can cause such reactions. A large amount of anxiety or fatigue can be caused by a fun and exciting vacation while you’ve been busy visiting many places or by a move to a great job.

When To Seek Professional Help?

Feelings of sadness, anxiety and fatigue are sometimes reason of concern and exceed normal responses to certain life events, indicating a possible anxiety depression syndrome. If such feelings interfere with your daily activity, affecting your performance, they are a reason of concern. You should also worry if these feelings are out of proportion to the event they are caused by or if they don’t fade out after a few weeks.

In such situations, you should definitely seek professional help. Anxiety depression is a mental disorder that can be treated if addressed by a well trained psychotherapist.

What Kind Of Doctor?

The first thing you should do if you have experienced some of these symptoms is consult your primary care physician for a diagnosis. He can check whether you have some other medical conditions or taking some medications that could cause these feelings. Generally, a doctor will study your medical history, perform urine and blood tests and sometimes take X-rays.

If necessary, you primary care physician will guide you further to a specialist in order to receive treatment for your illness. Anxiety depression is a real illness and not just a sign of weakness. Therefore, it should be handled by a professional, such as a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a social worker.

Self-help books:

Conquering Stress - How You Can Conquer Stress, Depression, & Anxiety, Quickly, Naturally & Permanently, And Enjoy A Brighter, Happier Future. WIth No drug, no potions, and no Quackery. 

7 Steps To A Depression Free Life - an Easy to Follow, Step-By-Step, Roadmap for Beating Depression No Matter What Your Past Experience . . .

A clinical depression is something very different from the sadness or frustration feelings we all experience in our everyday life. Even though they are colloquially referred to as depression, these feelings are a normal part of life and don not require medical treatment. In clinical depression, such feelings are highly exaggerated. Everyone experiences sadness and frustration linked to particular events in life, but people who are not clinically depressed manage to overcome them and move on.
Contrary to the popular belief, depression is not just about having the blues. It has many other symptoms, such as a feeling of emptiness or no awareness of any feeling. Someone who is clinically depressed loses his ability to find pleasure in anything. Psychiatrists view depression as a significant change in someone’s mood and his perception about themselves and the world. There are several types of depressive disorders, the most prevalent being major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder.
In clinical depression, symptoms last for weeks or months and interferes with your daily activity. They vary widely between people of different ages.

Symptoms Of Depression In Adults

If you experience at least five of the following symptoms of depression and you are in this mood for more than two weeks, it is highly probable to have a clinical depression and should consult a psychiatrist:
·       Feelings of sadness
·       Lack of interest or pleasure in common activities
·       Significant weight changes
·       Lack of sleep or excessive sleeping
·       Agitation, irritability
·       Fatigue or low energy level
·       Feelings of excessive guilt or worthlessness
·       Suicidal or death thoughts

Symptoms Of Depression In Children

In addition to the usual symptoms of depression that adults share, children may have some of the following symptoms as well:
·       Poor performance in school
·       Persistent boredom
·       Frequent complaints of physical problems, such as stomachaches or headaches
Some of the classic symptoms of depression present in adults, such as changes in eating or sleeping behavior, may be more obvious in children. If the child has lost or gained weight in recent weeks or months, or feels more tired than usual, you should start worrying.
Most parents of children who suffer from clinical behavior have noticed some of the behavior changes mentioned below. If you notice any of these in you child, you should discuss it with your primary care physician.
·       The child cries often and from minor issues.
·       The child spends a lot of time by himself, away from family and friends.
·      The child actually becomes clingy and more dependent on certain relationships. However, this symptom is less common than isolation.
·       The child talks about hurting himself or shows harmful behavior.
·       The child is very pessimistic and expresses feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt.

Symptoms of Depression In Elderly

Elderly people may experience the same symptoms of depression as adults. However, some other symptoms are also frequent:
·       Lower ability to think or focus
·      Unusual physical complaints, such as abdominal pain, muscle aches or changes in bowel habits
·      Memory impairment, which occurs in approximately 10% of all severe depression cases
Clinical depression is a very serious and potentially dangerous mental illness, as well as the most common one. If you experience several depression symptoms for more than a couple of weeks, consult a psychiatrist for a diagnosis. You cannot diagnose yourself and cannot be diagnosed by a friend or family member either. Only a trained specialist has the capacity to tell whether you suffer from clinical depression or not.