The Depression and Coping Mechanisms - Term Paper Example

Common Symptoms and Causes of Depression and Coping Mechanisms How is depression defined in academic circles? Academic professionals have written many books and articles about depression based on their specific academic circles. For instance, professionals on the global stock market define depression as a decline on economy and business activity. On the other hand, mental health specialists explain depression as a feeling of low self-esteem, low moods and a lack of interest in enjoyable activities. The word depression derives from the Latin deprimere, which means to fall down, and it was introduced in the 17th century to depict one's state of mood (Gilbert 3). “English has several words that reflect a state of mood such as sad, blue, low, black, or joyless (Miller and Reynolds 1). Depression is not only a feeling of sadness or blues; these feelings are certainly characteristic of depression but cannot be used to fully describe its complicated nature. Depression is regarded as a long-lasting state in which one is mentally unfit or suffers mental disorder. There are more than 100 million people around the world who suffer from accelerated depression (Gilbert 3). In addition, it is critical to examine depression due to the fact that it is the primary reason of suicide (Torpy et al 1). As a means of understanding depression to a greater extent, this brief analysis will discuss some of the determinant and different types of the exhibition of depression within society as well as some of the most common and least understood causes of depression. Examining the three following principles is vital to assess depression scientifically: the techniques of determining depression among people, the biological and social causes and risk factors, and methods which patients employ in order to deal with depression. Mental health specialists often diagnose major depression in a patient by acknowledging the symptoms that affect the patient’s life; nevertheless, the medical technology and developments on medical devices have created a new technique to diagnose depression. In addition to such diagnosis, professionals analyze biological factors such as genes, gender and chemicals that can lead to depression, as well as looking at social factors, such as financial problems, loneliness, traumatic experiences and other social statuses, which could lead to depression. Moreover, learning how patients should deal with depression is an important aspect. A closer look at the symptoms of depression can produce a clear image of how mental health specialists determine depression patients among others. Mental health specialists diagnose depression by identifying the symptoms that are disturbing patients’ lives. Nevertheless, the medical technology today might assist mental health specialists to recognize depression in patient’s . According to Miller and Reynolds, “Mental health specialists have agreed on the following standardized definition of major depression: symptoms persist for two weeks or longer, either a depressed mood or an inability to enjoy life is present and any four of the following seven criteria must also be present” (4); these seven criteria are symptoms of depression. Change in sleeping and eating habits are the first and second symptoms of depression; for example, depression patients might suffer from insomnia and sleeping without rest, although some patients may oversleep (Miller and Reynolds 4). Another example is that major depression patients are probably suffering from a loss of appetite and weight, whereas their desired food can become tasteless (Miller and Reynolds 4). According to Miller and Reynolds, the third symptom of depression is suffering from overall feelings of fatigue and/or lack of energy. Therefore, patients are passive and reluctant to interact with other people in some activities, such as group works. The fourth symptom of major depression is trouble concentrating which is common in elderly people; an example of this is that some patients are unable to easily do regular tasks, such as balancing a checkbook. The fifth symptom is “[f]eeling worthless or excessively guilty,” which is a very risky symptom due to the fact that it may lead to suicide (Miller and Reynolds 4). According to Miller and Reynolds, “marked restlessness and slowed-down movement” is the sixth symptom of depression, which could be as a result of nerve impulse distribution (Miller and Reynolds 4). The final and most risky symptom of major depression is the thought of death or suicide due to the thoughts tend to integrate themselves with the depressed patient; masquerading as perfectly logical thought processes. Suicide may seem like the only way a patient can release their pain because there does not seem to be another solution to their situation (Miller and Reynolds 4). The above seven symptoms of major depression have helped mental health specialists to diagnose depression among people. The fact of the matter is that many authors have noted that technology can play a powerful and determinant role in helping to diagnose depression in a much earlier and more effective means than have traditionally been accomplished. German researchers have examined the retinas of 40 major depressive disorder patients and 40 non depressed individuals and found that the non depressed individuals had a very strong responses to certain stimuli whereas the depression patients had weak responses (Depression research: An objective view of gloomy outlook 7). Acknowledging the seven symptoms of major depression alongside medical technology can produce a clear image of how to identify depression. Conversely, causes and risk factors of depression are essential to assess depression. Risk factors and causes of depression can be divided into two major categories: biological and social. First, biological risk factors, such as genes, chemical imbalance and gender, can initiate and develop depression. Depression can run in families from one generation to another: “Brothers, sisters, parents, and children of a depressed person have a risk of approximately 20 to 25 percent of having the disease themselves” (Klein and Wender 87). Genes play such an important role in causing and developing depression. According to Miller and Reynolds, “Biological twins raised apart show strikingly similar rates of depression” (35). Similarly, Klein and Wender state that “the majority of cases of depressive and manic depressive illness appear to be genetically transmitted and chemically produced” (87). According to De Leo and Diekstra, chemical imbalance, such as decreases or increases of chemical compounds, can promote depression; for example, decreasing Dopamine or increasing Monoamine oxidase can cause a chemical imbalance that leads to depression (71-72). Therefore, some sufferers use antidepressants to balance these chemicals. According to Leventhal and Antonuccio, “neuroscientists have pointed out that when chemical abnormalities have been found in depressed patients, they are as likely to be effects of depression as causes” (201). This indicates that a chemical imbalance can be both the cause and the result of depression. In addition to chemical imbalance, gender is another biological risk factor, with women being 50% more likely to suffer from depression than men (Klein and Wender 4) because their body structure and development are different. Depression in women can be a result of pregnancy or the menstrual cycle. In fact, “The prevalence of depression during pregnancy is relatively high with estimates between 7% and 13%” (Bowman-Reif, et al 15). Social risk factors, such as financial problems, loneliness, traumatic experiences and social statuses can initiate and develop depression. Depression patients may be the victim of economic decline, since poverty and loneliness can lead to sadness and depression. Being socially active can reduce the risk of getting depression due to the fact that sharing feelings with others can buffer such a risk. Risks factors can notably increase as a person encounters traumas and bad experiences; for instance, the death of a family member might cause major sadness. Similarly, bad experiences, such as losing a job, are considered to be major causes. Likewise, parental divorce can cause family members to become depressed. Serious diseases are common causes of depression, for instance, “depression is commonly experienced by cancer patients” (Chan et al. 46). Chan et al found that 38% of cancer patients also suffer from major depression, and 24% of cancer patients also suffer from medium depression (Chan et al. 46). In addition to trauma and bad experiences, social statuses such as low education or low income might lead to depression. It is vital to learn how patients should deal with such a disorder. In such a way, the reader can understand that the level and extent to which illness is exhibited on the patient has a powerful impact upon the likelihood that depression will threaten the patient. This can oftentimes serve as something of a double danger. Moreover, socio-economic status also has a powerful effect on the level and extent to which depression can impact upon the individual. It is important to note that although the common knowledge states that money cannot buy happiness; however, the fact of the matter is that living in a situation that places the individual in a position of need or privation is one of the factors that can reduce the overall level of satisfaction and happiness that one could hope to gain from their environment. However, although there are a host of powerful determinants to depression that have thus far been discussed, the fact of the matter is that depression can be instigated by many factors that have otherwise been discounted and not considered within society. One of the first of these is the level and extent to which personal satisfaction can be realized from employment status. Naturally, this touches upon the same determinant which has previously been discussed; i.e. economic position. However, discounting the overall level of poverty or wealth that such a situation can effect, the reader can and should understand that the individual can become exceedingly depressed based upon no other factor than the level to which personal satisfaction can be derived from employment status. This is of course evidenced within a broad segment of society and is oftentimes left undiagnosed for many years due to the fact that it is often merely labeled as dissatisfaction with current employment status or ignored entirely. Such depression is particularly dangerous due to the fact that it is one of the most common types that goes undiagnosed and untreated within a large section of society. A second determinant to depression that is often ignored or goes undiagnosed is what is referred to commonly as seasonal affective disorder. As such, around 5% of all Americans suffer from SAD that is otherwise colloquially referred to as mere “winter blues”. Although the broad majority of the individuals that suffer from SAD have this strike during the winter months, a very small percentage of these experience SAD during the summer months; approximately 1%. There are a number of reasons that can be attributed to winter months and SAD; however, the most common reason for this is born out of the fact that the body’s is physiologically and anatomically adjusting to the cold weather and as such alter the body’s ability to secrete serotonin levels. Accordingly, the reader can understand that one of the powerful physiological determinants that define depression and normality is the overall level of serotonin that the body is able to secrete. In such a way, almost all of the anti-depression drugs that are on the market seek to increase or otherwise regulate the levels of serotonin that the body creates and releases as a means to regulate the existence of depression within the individual patient. Although recent scholarship has gone a long way towards defining the many negative health effects of cigarette smoking, it has also been noted that smoking can have a strong determinant upon the level to which depression threatens the individual smoker. This is due to the fact that nicotine is known to affect neurotransmitter activity; just like any other physically addictive drug. By altering the means by which the brain is able to experience pleasure as well as secrete and uptake key chemicals related to emotional peaks in activity, the risk of depression among smokers is greatly increased as compared to non-smokers. One of the key issues with regards to discussing depression’s link to smoking is the fact that oftentimes examinging such a situation is similarly to asking the age old question of what came first the chicken or the egg. This is due to the fact that individuals that suffer from depression are statistically much more likely to pick up smoking than their counterparts in society that are not depressed. However, regardless of this fact, smoking does not help and most certainly harms the extent to which depression is realized within an individual. In keeping with the physiological means by which depression can be realized within the individual, one can and should consider the role in which irregular thyroid function can directly influence depression within the individual. This is due to the fact that the thyroid gland is directly responsible for hormone regulation within the body. As such, hormones exhibit far more than the ability to integrate the effects of testosterone or estrogen within the body; they also impact upon the way that the aforementioned neurotransmitters within the body can react to the stimuli of the outside world and subsequently release levels of both dopamine and serotonin. Although experiential factors such as discontent with the realties of one’s employment or the extent to which weather or familiar/friendship factors can influence upon depression, the physiological effects are some of the more dangerous and nuanced due to the fact that there is no conceivable or readily explained cause within the mind of the individual sufferer; as such, no treatment is oftentimes sought in these instances. Yet another prominent and often ignored determinant that is verifiably tired to depression is the overall quantity and quality of rest that an individual is able to get. However, like many of the factors that have thus far been discussed, lack of sleep has a powerful physiological effect on the levels of serotonin and dopamine that the body secretes. Ultimately, medical researchers have been able to determine that without the required level of sleep each over time, the body’s ability o repair and regulate such processes becomes hampered and can trigger a range of negative side effects; depression being just one of these. Without adequate rest, the brain is ultimately unable to repair itself or function in the way that it is intended; thereby leading to a vastly increased risk that depression will ultimately be evidenced within the individual. However, from all of the determinents that have thus far been discussed, perhaps the most interesting as well as surprising is the extent to which technological dependence and overuse can negatively impact upon the individual in question. This is evidenced due to the fact that the current spike in overall time spent in front of a computer or within social networking amount young adults leads to deprivation of human-to-human interaction; thereby leading these individuals to become increasingly dependent and reliant upon non-human contact as a means of carrying out a social life. Ultimately, due to the fact that humans are social creatures by nature, this adversely affects the level to which normal relations can be maintained and thereby can cause a very acute form of depression within the user. This has been dubbed as “Facebook depression” among many within the medical community and has been proven to affect as many as 1.2% of the entire population within the United States (Gotlib et al 40). Dealing with depression is dependent on the specific causes. Chemical imbalance can be assessed by a psychiatrist in order to prescribe the right medications, such as an antidepressant. Nevertheless, some experts debate their effectiveness; Leventhal and Antonuccio claim that 97% of antidepressants are not useful (209). Some psychotherapy and social activities can also reduce the risks. For example, Gotlib and Constance state that “Overall, Family-Focused Therapy is associated with a 35%-40% reeducation in recurrence rates over 2 years, and a 48% increase in recovery rates over 1 year” (613). Another example is that “religious participation, personal religious devotion and volunteerism all correlate with lower rates of depression in later life” (Miller and Reynolds 58). According to Miller and Reynolds, marriage can lower the risk of depression (57–58). Patients should deal with depression depending on the situation and risk factors that are taking place. In conclusion, depression is not a term that can be conveniently understood of related to the individual. Rather, it is nuanced and can take as a result of a number of different forms that can exhibit themselves in both environmental and physiological means. Although the level and extent of any psychological illness bears consideration, the fact of the matter is that depression not only negatively impacts upon a variety of other health markers within life, it can also lead to suicidal thoughts or attempts. Determining common symptoms with the help of medical technology can produce a better assessment of depression. Biological risk factors, like genes, chemical imbalance and gender, and social risk factors, such as financial problems, loneliness, bad events and social status, are considered to be major causes of depression. Dealing with depression is dependent on a patient’s biological and social factors. Monitoring these causes and risks can prevent and treat depression among patients. Works Cited Chan, Eric K. H., Kendice M. Limogens, and Tak S. Fung. "Functional Social Support and Major Depression in Cancer Patients." Psychology Journal 7.2 (2010): 46­–50. Print. De Leo, Diego and René F. W. Diekstra. Depression and Suicide in Late Life. Toronto: Hogrefe & Huber, 1990. Print. Gilbert, Paul. Overcoming Depression. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. Gotlib, Ian H., and Constance L. Hammen. Handbook of Depression. New York and London: Guilford, 2009. Print. Klein, Donald F. and Paul H. Wender. Understanding Depression: A Complete Guide to its Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Print. Leventhal, Allan M. and David O. Antonuccio. "On Chemical Imbalances, Antidepressants, and the Diagnosis of Depression." Ethical Human Psychology & Psychiatry 11.3 (2009): 199–214. Print. Miller, Mark D. and Charles F. Reynolds III. Living Longer Depression Free: A Family Guide to Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Depression in Later Life. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002. Print. Torpy, Janet M., Alison F. Burke, and Richard M. Glass. "Depression." JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association 303.19 (2010). Online. Koleva, Hristina, Scott Stuart, Michael W. O’Hara and Jennifer Bowman-Reif "Risk Factors for Depressive Symptoms during Pregnancy." Archives of Women's Mental Health 14.2 (2011): 99-105. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 July 2012. Read More