Depression as One of the Major Psychological Diseases - Research Paper Example

? Depression Irrespective of the cultural, social and economical differences, depression is affecting people all over the world. The commitments of the current generation are more than that of the older generation and the failure in fulfilling the commitments generate immense stress among people. Some people may mange their stresses judiciously whereas others fail to do so. Stress management failure often results in the development of negative thoughts which may lead towards depression like psychological diseases. Both heredity and environment play an important role in the making of a depressive person. Sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, Loss of interest in daily activities, Appetite or weight changes etc are some of the major symptoms of depression. Depression can be treated effectively with the help of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. This paper analyses various dimensions of depression. Depression Depression is one of the major psychological diseases which prevent people from leading a normal life. Most of the psychological disorders originated from depression. It is difficult to assess how severely a person is affected by depression. Unlike physical diseases, psychological diseases cannot be assessed with the help of any laboratory testing. The major symptoms of depression can be witnessed in the behaviors of the patient and the severity of the disease can be assessed only through the evaluation of the behavioral pattern of the patient. Chronic depressive patients may cause physical injuries to themselves and others. “It has been estimated that perhaps somewhere between 10 and 30 percent depressives and manic depressives kill themselves” (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.1). Even though the actual causes of depression is still unknown, psychologists believe that heredity and environment plays an important role in making a person depressive. Signs and symptoms Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, Loss of interest in daily activities, Appetite or weight changes, Sleep changes, Irritability or restlessness., Loss of energy, Self-loathing, Concentration problems, Unexplained aches and pains etc are some of the signs and symptoms of depression (Understanding Depression, 2011). Depressive patients often show many changes in their behavior. Many of them may not sleep well and mood changes occur to them constantly and continuously. It is difficult for depressive patients to concentrate longer on a particular topic. They often complain about unrealistic problems they are facing. For example, it is quite possible that a depressive patient may complain about body pain, head ache etc even though they have no such real problems. Fatigue or tiredness can be witnessed in every activities of a depressive patient. Depressive patients often avoid the company of others and they will try to lead a lonely life. Anxiety is another major symptom of depression. Causes of depression Heredity and environment are the major reasons which contribute heavily to the psychological disorders like depression. A person with family history of psychological disorders is more vulnerable to depression. Same way, a person living in a tough environment can also develop depression. According to Chan et al (2010), “as many as 38% of cancer patients suffer from major depression, with a mean of 24% and median of 22%” (Chan et al, 2010, p.46). In other words, many of the chronic physical diseases can contribute to the development of depression among people. Man is a social animal who likes to interact with others. These interactions often create stresses in the minds of a person. Personal, family, social and professional commitments of the current generation are more than that of the older generation. The failure in fulfilling these commitments may often make the person depressive. Klein &Wender (2005) have mentioned that depressive illness is often triggered by a real event like the death of a loved one (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.13). It is possible that people develop close relationships with some others. Such people could be more emotional and sensitive. They often support each other when critical problems occur. When a person dies, his emotionally attached friend or relative may develop a feeling of great loss. Such feelings will create a sense of insecurity in the mind and subsequently the symptoms of depression may start to develop. Miller & Reynolds (2002) have pointed out that “low thyroid hormone, vitamin 13 deficiency, chronic pain, stroke or Alzheimer’s diseases, stroke injuries, many types of cancers, heart or lung problems that interfere with maintaining an adequate supply of oxygen to brain etc can cause depression” (Miller & Reynolds, 2002, p.36-45). Stress is another major factor which causes depression. “Stress is related to losses and defeats which often cause people to feel separate from others, inferior, worthless and trapped” (Gilbert, 2009, p.56). Treatments The services of a psychologists and a psychiatrist are essential for treating depression effectively. Psychologist can identify the root causes of depression and suggest techniques needed eliminate these causes. Most of the depression patients may not reveal the causes of the agony they are facing to the doctor or the psychiatrist. Psychologists can use psychotherapy like techniques to find out the actual reasons of depressive behaviors of a patient. On the other hand, a psychiatrist can help the depressive patient to remove the causes of depression with the help of medicines. Several anti-depressive medicines are available in the market at present. These medicines can help the patient in sleeping well and thinking logically. Social support, providing proper sleep and nutrition, exercise, making life style changes etc are some of the other ways of treating depression. Sleeping is an activity which settles all the mental agitations. Our conscious mind is a place where all the pleasant and unpleasant memories and thoughts interact each other. It is necessary to control all the unpleasant memories and thoughts which can be done with the help of medicines. Chan et al (2010) have mentioned the lack of social support from family, friends, and significant others seem to be the major reason for the wide spreading of depression in the current world (Chan et al, 2010, p.46). Psychotherapy seems to be an effective treatment option available for depressive patients. The major advantage of psychotherapy is the fact that no medicines are used in this procedure and the fear of side effects are not there. Treating depressive patients without medicine is always beneficial to the patient when we consider the side effects of medicines. For example, Xanax, one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in America, is used to treat anxiety. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. In rare cases, such drugs may cause depression, manic symptoms, memory impairment or difficulty concentrating. Sudden withdrawal may provoke signs of physical dependence and even seizures. Prozac another medicine used to treat depression can lead to depression nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, manic behavior, possible suicidal thoughts (Psychological Side Effects, 1992, p.1) Prognosis If treated properly, depression can be managed well, if not cured completely. It is quite possible to bring a depressive patient back to almost 90% of his previous normal life. Detection of depression at an early stage will be better in treating this disease more effectively. It is difficult to treat depression when it enters the chronic stage. Depression is one of the major causes of increasing suicide rates in America. Depression can haunt a person in his entire life span. In some cases, lifelong medicine use is essential to keep depression away from normal life. If treated properly, more than 90% of the depression problems can be better managed. Prevalence of depression in USA “According to the Mayo Clinic, about 12 million adults in the United States suffer from depression in a given year” (Taylor, 2011). It is difficult to point out a single major reason for depression. Irrespective of the cultural, social and economical differences, depression can affect any people. My opinion about depression In my opinion, depression is a serious psychological disease which prevents a person from leading normal life. I feel sympathy to those who fail to lead a normal life because of depression. Mental toughness and strong will power are necessary to tackle depression problems. Current generation has too much weight of responsibilities in their shoulders. In an attempt to fulfill all their commitments, many of the current generation are becoming depressive. Prevention of Depression Encouraging positive thinking and discouraging negative thinking are the only way of preventing depression. Negative thinking always results in the development of negative energy whereas positive thinking always generates positive energy. Sticking with balanced diet, engaging in social activities, exercises, games, sleeping well, etc can contribute to the development of positive energy. An idle man’s mind is devils paradise. In other words, doing something will always help a person to avoid the development of negative thoughts which may lead towards the development of depression. How depression affects society? Depression can not only affect the individual, but it can affect the family members and the society as well. Family members and the society forced to give more attention to the depression patients which will prevent them from concentrating more on their other duties and responsibilities. As mentioned earlier, depression patients can cause self injuries. In extreme cases, they may try to attack others. In all such cases, the family members and the society will be affected. Support Groups available There are plenty of online and offline social support groups available in America to help depression patients. The development of internet technologies and the development of social networking websites provide an excellent way for depression patients to share their agonies with others. In each state and county of America, there different support groups for depression. For example, “Mental Health America of Franklin County (MHAFC) sponsors three kinds of support groups in Franklin County for depression patients” (Support Groups, 2007) Conclusions Depression is a psychological disease which can be managed effectively with the help of a psychologists and a psychiatrist. It prevents a person from leading a normal life. If not treated properly, depression motivates a person towards causing self injuries and injuries to others. Healthy life styles and the avoidance of negative thoughts can prevent the occurrence of depression. References 1. Chan E. K. H., Limoges K. M,& Fung T.S. (20100 Functional Social Support and Major Depression In Cancer Patients. Psychology Journal, 2010 ISSN: 1931-5694 Vol. 7, No. 2. www.psychologicalpublishing.com pp. 46-50 2. Gilbert, P. (2009). Overcoming Depression: A Self-Help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques. Publisher: Basic Books; 3rd edition (September 8, 2009) 3. Klein, D. F., M.D & Wender P., M.D. (2005). Understanding Depression: A Complete Guide to its Diagnosis and Treatment. Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; Revised edition (May 12, 2005) 4. Miller M. D., M.D & Reynolds C. F, M.D. (2002). Living Longer Depression Free: A Family Guide to Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Depression in Later Life. Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press; 1 edition (September 23, 2002) 5. Psychological Side Effects, (1992). Retrieved from http://www.healthcentral.com/static/pp/pdf_guides/psych65.pdf 6. Support Groups, (2007). Retrieved from http://www.mhafc.org/support_groups.php 7. Taylor K. (2011). Prognosis of depression. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5483925_prognosis-depression.html 8. Understanding Depression, (2011). Retrieved from http://helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm Read More