Depression
Featured Article
Some people have described depression as a heavy black curtain of despair that envelops their lives. Depression affects your life, and the lives of those around you. It can severely disrupt how you function, eat, sleep, and get along with others. Although most people who suffer from depression feel as though they are suffering alone, roughly 20% of the American population suffers from depression. Depression is a disease, and like any other disease, it can be treated and managed. Read on to learn more about depression and what you can do to get help.
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression, although more common that gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and premature labor, receives much less attention in the media and in a pregnant women’s medical care. Pregnant women go through weeks of tests and checkups, childbirth education classes, and pampering. But once the baby is born, all focus is centered on the baby and little additional attention is paid to the postpartum care of the mother.
Manic Depression
Manic depression affects nearly two million Americans. In many instances, the condition begins in childhood and worsens with age. Manic depression may have genetic roots, as it is known to run in families. Doctors have determined that a family history of the condition exists in about 60% of the cases of manic depression. Current research is focused on identifying genes that may increase the susceptibility to manic depression.
Clinical Depression
Clinical depression is not a sign of weakness and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or even years. But with help, you can find the appropriate treatment for your depression. If you think you or someone you love may be suffering from clinical depression, read on to learn more about its symptoms and causes, and what you can do to beat it.
Symptoms of Depression
Depression affects your mind, your body, and can disrupt your daily activities.The following symptoms are the most common symptoms of depression. Your health care provider will look for these symptoms when trying to diagnose your condition. If you experience at least five of these major symptoms in the same two-week period, it’s likely that you’re suffering from a major depressive episode.
When Your Fears and Depression Have the Best of You
What do you do when your fears and depression are stronger than what you can handle? There are times that no matter what you do, your fears have the best of you. Here is a list of techniques and suggestions on what to do when this happens.
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A Review of Techniques in Managing Your Depression
Some people have a difficult time in managing their depression. Sometimes, their depression and fears can get best of them. As a result, here is a short list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their depression.
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What’s Causing My Depression and Fatigue?
Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Depression are absolutely systemic in our society today. Recent studies done by the AMA and CMA purport one in four people in North America are suffering from some form of chronic fatigue or depression and it’s expected eight out of ten of us will experience similar afflictions in our lifetime. But numbers like these don’t speak to the cause and only tell half the story.
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Treatment for Depression
Fewer than two-thirds of people with depression ever seek treatment. One reason is that many people still do not consider depression an illness that can or should be treated by a medical professional. However, more than 80% of people with depression can be successfully treated.
You Can’t Fight Depression on Your Own
When I talk about depression, I’m not referring to the normal down periods that everyone goes through once in a while, that can be brought on by a rainy day, a broken heart, the flu or even for no particular reason. We mope around, listen to sad music and feel sorry for ourselves. These moods go away within a couple of days, and we can enjoy life again. Clinical depression is much more than that, and is comparable to a down mood as much as a sneeze is comparable to pneumonia.
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Self-Screening for Depression
If five or more of the symptoms of depression have been present in either you or someone you know for more than two weeks, please talk to your doctor about the possibility of depression being present. Keep in mind that these symptoms could indicate a medical condition other than depression.