Depression

What is Depression?

Most of us suffer from spells of low mood from time to time when things are not going our way.

However clinical depression is different from these ordinary low spells.

Firstly the low mood is usually much more intense in clinical depression.

Secondly these feelings go on for longer than just a low patch, sometimes for months at a time.

Thirdly depression does not just affect your mood.

The physical symptoms of depression include difficulty sleeping, feeling tired and lethargic all the time,

changes in weight and appetite, and becoming physically slowed down and agitated

What Causes Depression?

Most people assume that depression is simply caused by recent social or personal difficulties.

However, depression is often caused by a mix of recent events (external) and other personal factors (internal)

Research indicates that recent life stressors are not as important as chronic difficulties such as long-term unemployment

or living in an abusive or uncaring marriage.

Depression and anxiety can run in families. Some people will be at increased genetic risk.

However, such genetic effects do not mean that you will automatically experience depression

if a parent or close relative has had the illness.

The circumstances of your life are still likely to have a big effect on your chances of becoming ill.

Common medical causes of depression include:

Low thyroid function;

Brain injury and diseases (eg. stroke, head injury, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease);

Some forms of cancer; Infectious diseases;

Blood vessel disease in the brain due to diabetes and/or hypertension;

Some steroid and hormonal treatments;

Chronic pain; and Quitting smoking.

Source: Hickie et al. Educational Health Solutions; 2000.

Personality styles at risk include:

Lifelong worrier; Perfectionist;

Sensitive to personal criticism;

Not assertive; Low self-esteem;

Self-critical and negative; and, Shy, socially anxious.

Common tests done by a doctor include:

• Full blood count and biochemistry;

Thyroid function tests;

Urinalysis for sugar and protein; and,

Occasionally a brain scan

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