What is Depression?
A Psychiatric condition, Depression, is a common mental illness that can affect people of all age, gender, race, income, culture, or education. It's common symptom include pervasive sadness, low interest in day to day activities, visible lack of energy, sleep disturbances, overthinking and ideas of suicide or self harm.
What are symptoms of Depression?
Depression, as an illness, is occurring multiple times in a person’s life as it's a relapsing illness. During these episodes, people experience these symptoms most of the day, nearly every day.
- Pervasive feelings of sadness, helplessness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Disturbance of biological function like Sleep, sex, appetite (Increase or Decrease)
- Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Thinking uncontrollably about the past trauma
- Mood swings, irritability or frustration, anger outbursts
- Loss of interest in most pleasurable activities
- Loss of the ability of concentration and problem solving
- Ideas about death, dying, suicide, self harm or poisoning
- Chronic unexplained pain over multiple sites in the body like back pain or headaches
People suffering from Depression face significant problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, relationships with others.
What are risk factors for Depression?
Depression can be caused by various factors including biological changes in brain, relationship or academic failure, financial stress, death of loved ones, seasonal changes, alcohol and drug abuse, genetics/family history, medical illnesses like diabetes, hypertension etc.