Depression

Depression commonly manifests physically, through stomach pains, headaches, disrupted or excessive sleep, and motor control difficulty.  While the causes of depression are vaired, a predisposition for it may run in families which can be triggered by trauma and adverse life circumstances.  Depression is diagnosed more frequently in women and tends to display differently in women than in men.

People tend to suffer higher rates of depression after giving birth and in late fall. Depression and anxiety often exacerbate each other and people with depression commonly have difficulty concentrating on tasks and conversations.  Some people may turn to alcohol and drugs or overeat as a way of coping, causing them to develop other issues.  Depressed people are also at increased risk for self-harm.

Depression  can be a symptom or a mental illness, can be situational or chronic and can be characterized by emotional symptoms including:

  • Apathy
  • Sadness
  • Guilt
  • Exhaustion
  • Irritability

Diagnosing depression can assessed by different testing including a complete psychiatric evaluation.  A person must have been experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression.  Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are a number of effective complementary ways of treating depression, including:

  • Talk therapy
  • Learning new coping skills
  • Adopting a healthier lifestyle
  • Medication

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