Introduction

Depression or depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in the world's population. Let's clarify what its symptoms are and how it can be treated. Initial symptoms of depression can be easily diagnosed.

Symptoms of Major Depression

Symptoms of Major Depression as reported in DSM 5 (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) are:

1) Major depressive episodes

(at least two weeks), with depressed or irritable mood; reduced interest or pleasure in interesting activities; reduction (increase) in appetite and/or bodyweight; sleep disturbance (reduction, increase, reversal, etc.); psychomotor agitation or slowdown visible fatigue, loss of energy feelings of indignity or guilt; difficulty concentrating, thinking, decision; recurring thoughts of death, suicidal ideation

2) Significant functional impairment.

The importance of the expert eye of the clinician

With the criteria for duration and impairment, the expert eye of the clinician will not escape the behavioral correlates that result from the symptoms.

Sudden changes in body weight, interruption of activity that the subject previously found stimulants and visible fatigue due to disturbed sleep are important alarm bells. There is also the so-called masked depression that highlights physical symptoms that are often not immediately able to lead to depression disorder (we can say depression disease).

However, the Major Depression should be diagnosed with other diseases that have similar symptoms.

The depressive episode of a Bipolar Disorder and the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia are just the most common examples of pathologies that can be confused with the Major Depression.

There are also organic pathologies such as hypothyroidism or poor diet that have symptoms very superimposed on those of depression. For this reason, it is essential to turn to a mental health professional for diagnosis and avoid the temptation to resort to antidepressants without a clear diagnosis.

Depression: What are the causes?

Although in recent years a neurophysiological malfunction and reduced neuronal plasticity have been associated with depression, the actual causes of the disorder are not yet fully understood. It would seem that reduced functionality of the neurotransmitter serotonin plays a key role, but an even more important role plays the environment. If it is true that for this disorder there is a predisposition, also witnessed by the frequent presence of multiple cases in the same family, must be present in the life of the individual a trigger, often a bereavement or a loss.

Depression: cures, alternative therapies

The therapy for this disorder involves the combined action of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. The first choice drugs are the SSRI antidepressants, which fill the gap in the serotonergic system. The side effects are now very limited, but the patient may experience weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

Given the danger of the disease, which can lead the patient to suicide, drug therapy is always indicated in serious cases. If accompanied by psychotherapy, however, it is more effective in most cases.

There are also alternative therapies that are useful in cases that do not respond to traditional therapy or in those with a high risk of suicide:

• -electroconvulsive therapy (effective in the short term but not widespread all over);
• -partial sleep deprivation;
• -exposure to light;
• -neurosurgery;

Obviously these are extreme remedies that concern the minimum part of the population of depressed people and that are used when nothing else seems to give results.

Finally, if depression occurs in a mild form and the risk of suicide is very low, one can intervene with psychotherapy alone. The most suitable in the short term is cognitive-behavioral therapy based on Beck's model.

Conclusions

If you feel desperate, you no longer have an interest in doing activities that you used to find pleasant and you are subject to major bodyweight fluctuations and sleep disturbances you may be depressed.

Don't wait any longer and go to a professional.

You can do this by contacting Dr. De Michele Floriana in Avezzano , using the website contact form.

That light at the end of the tunnel that you can't see actually exists. 😉