A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely “pull themselves together” and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

THE D EXTREME. MY VISION ABOUT DEPRESSION.

Imagine for a moment that you are inside a room, in one of the extremes (extreme D). From this angle you have a vision about things determined by where you are.
Every object you find is seen with a unique perspective no matter how many times you are asked to describe the objects of the room. You will see them always in the same way.

If you could walk inside the room you would have a different view, you could view new things, new angles and new perspectives. If you could walk… but you can not.
The depression is one of the extremes of the room (extreme D). An extreme that when reached, remains immobilized, and can’t walk.

A lot of circumstances can make you go to that point. Everyone arrives at that extreme of the room due to different reasons . May be you felt during your childhood that you were not loved s much as you had wished, or you believed that you were less than other people or you suffered from the loss of people you loved or may be you resigned of the life you had. Or may be you had a good childhood and adolescence but one day without apparently reasons you found yourself in the corner of the room.

But how do you reach that extreme ? How many steps do you have to take to reach depression ? It can be only a big one, or two smaller steps, or four shorter or may be hundred of very small steps, it can take you weeks or many years to reach the extreme, but when you are there, one feels trapped, immobilized and in the dark.

When someone reaches the D extreme, everyone manifests the depression differently, according to the symptoms suffered they classify in different types of depression.

TYPES OF DEPRESSION

Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as is the case with other illnesses such as heart disease. This pamphlet briefly describes three of the most common types of depressive disorders. However, within these types there are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.

Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptom list) that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.

A less severe type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives.

Another type of depression is bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness. Not nearly as prevalent as other forms of depressive disorders, bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression). Sometimes the mood switches are dramatic and rapid, but most often they are gradual. When in the depressed cycle, an individual can have any or all of the symptoms of a depressive disorder. When in the manic cycle, the individual may be overactive, overtalkative, and have a great deal of energy. Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and embarrassment. For example, the individual in a manic phase may feel elated, full of grand schemes that might range from unwise business decisions to romantic sprees. Mania, left untreated, may worsen to a psychotic state.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

Depression

 
• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood  
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism  
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness  
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex  
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being “slowed down”  
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions  
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping  
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain  
• Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts  
• Restlessness, irritability  
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings-from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.

Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:

 
• Increased energy, activity, and restlessness  
• Excessively “high,” overly good, euphoric mood  
• Extreme irritability  
• Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another  
• Distractibility, can’t concentrate well  
• Little sleep needed  
• Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers  
• Poor judgment  
• Spending sprees  
• A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual     Increased sexual drive  
• Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications  
• Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior  
• Denial that anything is wrong

A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with 3 or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, 4 additional symptoms must be present.

Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:

 
• Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood  
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism  
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness  
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex  
• Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being “slowed down”  
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions  
• Restlessness or irritability  
• Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep  
• Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain  
• Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury  
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

A depressive episode is diagnosed if 5 or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.

SYMPTOMS OF DYSTHYMIC DISORDER

Dysthymic Disorder (previously known as Dysthymia) can be diagnosed when a person has had a variety of depressive symptoms for at least two years, and these symptoms are not numerous or severe enough to qualify for Major Depressive Disorder. It can be difficult to distinguish from.

Dysthymic Disorder often has its onset during teen years or early adulthood. When this occurs, it may negatively affect personality development, since the feelings of inadequacy and social withdrawal can interfere with achieving the important social goals of that time. As a consequence, persons with Dysthymic Disorder may be more likely to remain single and those with early onset (before age 21) more likely to develop personality disorders than those with later onset.

Symptoms

 
• poor appetite or overeating  
• insomnia or hypersomnia  
• low energy or fatigue  
• low self-esteem  
• poor concentration or difficulty making decisions  
• feelings of hopelessness