What is Depression?

DISCLAIMER:

This post includes general information and should not be construed as medical advice intended to diagnose or treat your specific symptoms. This content is solely informational. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call 911 or contact the suicide helpline at 1-800-273-8255. If you feel you are in crisis, you can also text HOME to 741 741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis.  A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and will respond and assist you.

If you live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and need outpatient psychiatric care, please visit us at www.prestonwoodhealth.com to request an appointment.

What is depression?

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems that people face: studies have shown that 10-20% of people will experience a clinically significant depressive symptoms at some point in their lives. For those that experience a depressive episode, half will experience another depressive episode in their lives.

But what is depression? It's not just a fleeting sadness or a rough patch: depression is a complex and pervasive condition that can impact every facet of a person's life. Depression is more than just feeling down; it's an enduring sense of hopelessness, emptiness, and despair that can last for weeks, months, or even years. People with depression will often describe feeling sad, down, or blue more days than not for long periods of time. In addition to the emotional symptoms, people will often experience physical symptoms when depressed: sleep problems (sleeping too much or too little), appetite problems (eating too much or too little), low energy, and a physical feeling of heaviness are common. Due to the significant variability in symptoms, however, depression can look and feel quite different from one person to the next, and even from one depressive episode to the next in the same person.

More confusingly, “depression” is a symptom, not a diagnosis. When discussing depression, people are typically referring to the formal diagnosis of major depressive disorder, also called “unipolar depression.” However, depressive symptoms can also be due to bipolar disorder (often called bipolar depression), persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia), seasonal affective disorder, and other psychiatric diagnoses. While depressive symptoms often look and feel similar regardless of the cause, their treatments can be quite different. A thorough psychiatric evaluation -- including a detailed review of previous symptoms and your overall life experience -- can help distinguish between these different forms of depression.

What causes depression?

While there are multiple theories about the causes of depression, many of them backed with significant scientific evidence, the ultimate cause of depression is unknown. Studies have shown that depressive symptoms are due to both genes inherited from your parents and life experiences. However, many people who experience depression have no family history of depression and have not experienced any experiences that they would consider to be difficult or traumatic. While genes and life experiences can increase the risk of developing depression, they are not necessary for someone to experience debilitating depressive symptoms.

Nearly all of the medications used in the treatment of depression change how specific chemicals, called monoamines, function in the brain. The monoamines include serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, and all medications commonly used in the treatment of depression increase the amounts of these chemicals in the brain. While depression is often thought of as being due to a "chemical imbalance" in the brain, scientific evidence has shown that this theory is inaccurate. Instead, these medications appear to change how your body responds to your own monoamines and how your body regulates genes that play a role in monoamine signaling in the brain.

Other studies have suggested that exposure to chronic stress -- for example, repeated abuse in childhood -- may change your body's "stress response" and increase the risk of depressive symptoms later in life. More recent research has suggested that inflammation within the brain may increase the risk of developing depression. While there is significant evidence to support these theories, there are no clinical treatments available to address these potential causes of depression.

What treatments are available for depression?

Many treatments are available for the treatment of depression, including medications, psychotherapy (also called therapy or counseling), and treatments that directly affect the activity of the brain, sometimes referred to as neuromodulatory treatments. The specific treatments that may be effective depend on your specific symptoms, previous treatment that you have received, and other psychiatric conditions that may be present. Clinical studies show that, in general, people do best when both taking medications and meeting with a therapist for their symptoms.

What can I do to improve my mood?

If you think you might be experiencing depressive symptoms, consider meeting with a mental health professional to evaluate your symptoms. Even if you decide not to pursue a clinical treatment, a proper diagnosis can provide a sense of relief and ensure that your symptoms are appropriately treated.

Many non-clinical interventions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression, including regular exercise, meditation, and diet changes. For seasonal depressive symptoms, bright light therapy has also been shown to be effective. These interventions are often used along with clinical treatments -- like medications or therapy -- to increase the likelihood of improving depressive symptoms.

Some supplements have been shown to potentially helpful to improve mood. However, supplements should be used cautiously as they may interact with other medications that you are taking, and products should be purchased only from large, reputable brands.

Want to talk with someone about your symptoms?

If you would like to speak with someone about your depressive symptoms, click here to request an appointment with one of Prestonwood Health's board-certified psychiatrists. After a thorough evaluation, we will talk with you about your treatment options to begin your return to wellness. You may also e-mail us or call us at 214-810-1898.