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Depression Disorder

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Depressive Disorder Causes and Symptoms

Depression is a disorder that affects the mood of a person and also causes a loss of

interest and a feeling of sadness. It is also called clinical depression or major depressive disorder,

and influences how an individual feels, and behaves, and leads to an array of physical and

emotional problems (National Health Service, 2023). Depression is not caused by a single factor,

rather, it happens due to an array of reasons and has various triggers. For some individuals,

stressful or upsetting life events such as divorce, bereavement, money worries, and redundancy

can be the cause. Nevertheless, different causes at times combine and trigger depression. For

instance, you might feel demoralized after battling an illness and then experience a traumatic

event that ends up causing depressive disorder (National Health Service, 2023). Personality traits

such as low self-esteem can also cause depression. Some women develop depressive symptoms

after pregnancy and giving birth or after reaching menopause because of feelings of mood

swings and sadness. Family history could also cause depression more so if some of the family

members have had the same challenge in the past – it can be genetical. Another cause of

depression is the use of alcohol and drugs as well as feelings of loneliness (National Health

Service, 2023).

A depressed person experiences a depressed mood such as being empty, irritable, or sad,

during a depressive episode. Such a person might have a loss of interest in activities or even

pleasure (WHO, 2023). A depressive episode is quite different from the regular fluctuations of

the moods. However, a depressive episode is quite different from the regular fluctuations of the

mood and can last for most of the day or nearly every day for two weeks. The other symptoms

include disrupted sleep, lack of hope concerning the future, poor concentration, feeling low in

energy or tiredness, changes in appetite, and feelings of low self-worth or excessive guilt

(WHO,2023). For individuals who are suffering from depression, symptoms at times become
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severe enough to be noticed in daily activities, such as social activities, school, work or

relationships with other people. Some people tend to feel generally unhappy without really

knowing why.

Diagnosis of Depression

Diagnosis for depression commences with the doctor performing a physical exam and

asking the patient about his or her symptoms in people between 18 and 25 years of age. A

demographic that is highly vulnerable to depression. The doctor then proposes a blood test to be

done to establish whether another condition such as hypothyroidism could be causing the

symptoms (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). If the doctor fails to find an underlying

cause of the symptoms, he or she continues and performs a psychological assessment. In the

course of a psychological assessment, the patient is assessed whether he or she has a history of

anxiety disorders or depression. The symptoms are analyzed based on when they started, how

long they have lasted, how serious they are, whether they had surfaced before, and if that has

been the case, were treated or not (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). The specialist will

then ask the patient whether he or she is thinking about death, or suicide or has been using drugs

or alcohol. At this moment, a questionnaire is presented to the patient and the survey evaluates

the symptoms affecting the life of the patient. Depression among young people is common as a

result of family violence, sexual abuse, being bullied in school, and racism.

Medication Treatment Options Including Risk Vs Benefits; Side Effects; FDA Approvals
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References
National Health Service (2023). Causes - Depression in adults. National Health Service.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/depression-in-adults/causes/

WHO. (2023). Depressive disorder (depression). World Health Organization.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Depression. National Institute of Mental Health.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression