Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad, but these feelings are usually fleeting and pass within a couple of days. When a person has a depressive disorder, it interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the person with the disorder and those who care about him or her. Depression is a common but serious illness, and most who experience it need treatment to get better. Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. However, the vast majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Intensive research into the illness has resulted in the development of medications, psychotherapies and other methods to treat people with this disabling disorder.
There are several forms of depressive disorders. The most common are major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder:
Some forms of depressive disorder exhibit slightly different characteristics than those described above, or they may develop under unique circumstances. However, not all scientists agree on how to characterize and define these forms of depression. They include the following:
People with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency and duration of symptoms will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Symptoms include the following:
Depression often coexists with other illnesses. Such illnesses may precede the depression, cause it, and/or be a consequence of it. It is likely the mechanics behind the intersection of depression and other illnesses differ for every person and situation. Regardless, these other co-occurring illnesses need to be diagnosed and treated:
Other symptoms include irritability, anger outbursts, intense guilt and avoidance of thinking or talking about the traumatic ordeal. In a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded study, researchers found more than 40% of people with PTSD also had depression at 1- month and 4-month intervals after the traumatic event.5
If you or someone you love seems overly sad, isolated or falling into depression, call us at 800.383.1908 — any time, day or night — for a free, confidential consultation. There’s no limit to the number of times you or your family members can call. Our counselors can help you evaluate any issues you or your family members are facing over the phone. We can also schedule free face-to-face counseling at a time and place convenient for you.
We encourage you to call whenever you’re feeling sad, angry, discouraged or overwhelmed. Sometimes a sympathetic ear, a change in perspective or tips on how to meet a life-challenge more effectively can help resolve issues that might lead to depression.
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Sources:
1 Altshuler, L.L., Hendrich, V., & Cohen, L.S. (1998). Course of mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59, 29.
2 Rohan, K.J., Lindsey, K.T., Roecklein, K.A., & Lacy, T.J. (2004). Cognitive-behavioraltherapy, light therapy and their combination in treating seasonal affective disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 80, 273-283.
3 Regier, D.A., Rae, D.S., Narrow, W.E., Kaebler, C.T., & Schatzberg, A.F. (1998). Prevalence of anxiety disorders and their comorbidity with mood and addictive disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 173(Suppl. 34), 24-28.
4 Devane, C.L., Chiao, E., Franklin, M., & Kruep, E.J. (2005, October). Anxiety disorders in the 21st century: Status, challenges, opportunities, and comorbidity with depression. American Journal of Managed Care, 11(Suppl. 12), S344-353.
5 Shalev, A.Y., Freedman, S., Perry, T., Brandes, D., Sahar, T., Orr, S.P., et al. (1998). Prospective study of post- traumatic stress disorder and depression following trauma. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(5), 630-637.
6 Conway, K.P., Compton, W., Stinson, F.S., & Grant, B.F. (2006, February). Lifetime comorbidity of DSM-IV [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of MentalDisorders, 4th ed.] mood and anxiety disorders and specific drug use disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcoholand Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 67(2), 247-257.
7 Cassano, P., & Fava, M. (2002). Depression and public health, an overview. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 849-857.
8 Katon, W., & Ciechanowski, P. (2002). Impact of major depression on chronic medical illness. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 859-863.
9 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Mental Health. (Updated 2008, April 3). Depression (NIH Publication No. 07-3561). Retrieved September 16, 2008, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/