Depression

BY CARA BYOM

What is Depression?
Mood

disorder

Constant

feeling of sadness

Constant

loss of interest

Interferes
Feeling

with normal day-to-day activities

like life's not worth living

Family History

My grandmas, uncles, aunts, and cousins have all had it.

Causes of Depression
Biological

differences

Physical

Brain

changes in their brains

chemistry

Neurotransmitters
When

are natural brain chemicals.

these are out of balance, it may be connected to symptoms.

Hormones
Changes

Inherited
More

Life

in the bodys balance of hormones may trigger or cause it

traits

common in people who's blood relatives have depression

events

Traumatic

events: death, financial problems, high stress, etc.

Populations/Age Groups Affected

Affects about 14.8 million American adults/ 6.7% of the U.S. population age 18+

The median age at onset is 32

About 1 in 33 children and 1 in 8 adolescents have clinical depression

25% of cancer patients experience depression

50-70% of people with eating disorders experience depression

Depression and the Elderly

About 6 million people are affected by late life depression.

Women and Depression

Women experience depression at twice the rate of men

The lifetime prevalence of major depression is 20-16% for women and 8-12% of men

Depression and Suicide

Cause of over 2/3 of the 30,00 reported suicides in the U.S. each year

Impact on a Persons Life

Mild depression

Limited negative effect on your daily life- difficulty concentrating or lacking the motivation
to do things you normally like to do

Major depression

Symptoms

Affect on everyday life

Tiredness and loss of energy

Dont want to get out of bed in

the morning

Physical aches and pains

Dont want to move around a lot

because of the pain

Loss of appetite

Lack the nutrients and other

things your body needs, could
get skinny

Sleeping problems

Tired the following day

Hard to function at school,

work

Bad grades, loss your job

Avoiding other people

Lose friends, not being social

Loss of self-esteem

Quiet, not yourself

Therapies for treatment

Psychotherapy
Helps

a person develop coping skills for dealing with everyday stressors

Encourages
Reduces

you to use your medications properly

stress, new perspective, learn to talk to people about it

Interpersonal

therapy-focus is on your relationships with other

people
Learn

to recognize unhealthy behaviors and change them

Psychodynamic

therapy- you and your therapist look at behavior

patterns and motivations
Focuses

on traumas of your childhood

Cognitive/Behavioral therapy- focus on your thoughts and behaviors

Learn how to react in situations and come up with goals

Tests and Medicanes

Tests

Physical Exam

Physical Exam and may ask in-depth questions

Could be linked to a underlying heath problem

Lab test

May do a blood test (CBC)

Check thyroid to see if functioning

Psychological evaluation

Mental health provider asks about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings, and behavior problems

Medications

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Safer and cause less bothersome side effects

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Tricyclic antidepressants

More severe side effects

Health Professionals Involved

Physician

Physician assistant

Specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental or psychiatric illnesses

Licensed to prescribe drugs and trained in psychotherapy (talking therapy)

Psychologist
Experts in psychology and are trained in counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological testing

Social worker

Some training in treating mental or psychiatric problems

Psychiatrist

Trained to identify symptoms of depression

Nurse practitioner

Recommend specialized care for patients with more than mild symptoms of depression

Provide mental health services fro the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of depression

Psychiatric nurse

Sources
Depression Health Center. WebMD, 2015. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-overview-facts>.
Depression Statistics. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, 2015. Web.
12 April
2015.<http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?
pagename=education_s tatistics_depression>.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Depression (major Depressive Disorder)." Mayo Clinic, 21
Feb.
2014. Web. 9 Apr. 2015. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977>.
What is Depression? National Institute of Mental Health, 2015. Web. 13 April
2015. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml>.