Clinical depression is categorized as a type of mood disorder. It’s often associated with constant feelings of anger, loss, sadness, and hopelessness.
Although people struggling with mental health issues like depression may appear normal and happy to others, their personal lives may be seriously affected by it.
What causes depression?
There could be several underlying causes for the onset of depression, from biological to social, but the most common causes include:
- Brain chemistry: Chemical imbalances in a person’s brain can lead to certain patterns of mood, sleep, thoughts, and behavior
- Hormone levels: Similarto brain chemistry, volatile hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone (in females) may increase the risk of depression
- Family history: If a person’s family has a history of depression or a similar disorder, such as bipolar, they might be at a greater risk.
- Childhood trauma: A severe childhood trauma is a common cause of depression in later life. A lot of people may not have supportive resources to process and resolve their traumas as they grow up; this can eventually build up into persisting mental disorders
What are the symptoms of depression?
Depression is often more than a general state of sadness. Common symptoms of a depressed individual include:
- Feeling anxious or “empty”
- Feeling worthless, pessimistic, or hopeless
- Feeling bothered, angry, and annoyed without any reason
- Lack of energy and more fatigue
- Difficulty in remembering, concentrating, or making important decisions
- Talking or moving slowly
- Sudden changes in weight and appetite
- Chronic body pain without any apparent reason (cramps, headaches, digestive problems)
- Thoughts of self-harm, suicide, death
What are the treatments for depression?
Some people may manage the common symptoms of depression using a single method of treatment. For others, it may take several interventions to see a significant difference.
Here are several medications that professionals can prescribe for depression:
- SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
- SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
- Tetracyclic and tricyclic antidepressants
Apart from medication, people may choose to rely solely on therapeutic interventions. The most common types of therapies used to treat depression are:
Alternative self-help techniques may also include guided meditation, breathing techniques, exercising, and socializing.
If you or your close ones are showing symptoms of worsening mental health or depression, you must seek professional help. At FastDocNow, we offer online mental health services for people who are struggling with mental health issues.
We also offer online prescription refills, in-home lab testing, and much more. Contact us today to learn more about our virtual health services.