Depression

Depression is a mental illness, not a character flaw, absence characterized by positive affect, affective flattening, decreased mood decreased vitality, and an exaggerated fatigue appears even after minimal effort, almost every day, for two consecutive weeks or more.

Of all the symptoms include loss of interest and inability to enjoy the activities and experiences of everyday life.

The type of depression depends on the persistence, severity and deterioration patient functionality, there are different levels of severity in the presentation of symptoms, such as feeling of physical fatigue, discomfort and hesitation that can reach the loss of the will.

Causes and risk factors

It is of unknown origin, despite ongoing research.

It is assumed that as a result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors, mediated by complex and subtle alterations in substances that regulate brain nerve activity.


It is recognized that many factors can intervene family, childhood and psychosocial adversity (which will be listed below).

Most likely an interaction of biological, psychological and social.

Risk factors that may favor the presence of a depressive state are:

• Chronic degenerative diseases
• The cerebral vascular event (stroke, stroke)
• Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Diabetes mellitus
• Sleep Disorders
• Chronic Pain
• Physical, sensory and intellectual
• Cognitive Disorders
• Socioeconomic level (not exclusive of poverty)
• Psychosocial issues such as retirement or pension
• Loss of the pair
• Decreased social network
• Separation or abandonment of family or friends
• The marital status
• Chronic stress
• Exposure to adverse along life
• The association with the consumption of alcohol and snuff
• Discrimination
• The use of derogatory terms for the condition of the people (eg the elderly)
• Recent Duel: death of a close relative or newly disabled
• Chronic grief unresolved divorce or widowhood
• Dysfunctional Family
• Family history of depression
• Living only
• Abuse Victim psychosocial (economic, psychological, sexual, etc.)
• Level of education
• Economic dependence on family
• Lack of goals in life
• Previous Addictions: alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc..
• Significant changes in lifestyle.
• Pregnancy in women with a history of depression.

The fully adult (older adults) whose living conditions are adverse are a vulnerable group, suffer from social isolation, addiction and co-morbidity and an increased risk of depression.

Risk factors for depression, in this group are:

1. Social and family environment
2. Presence of debilitating
3. Family Abandonment
4. Economic situation

Symptoms

• Sadness
• Reduced interest in what happens around
• Poor grooming or grooming
• Weight gain or loss
• Loss or increase in appetite
• Insomnia, typically early awakening, or sleeping problems
• Fatigue
• Guilt
• Inability to concentrate
• Difficulty in memory or making decisions
• Irritability
• General aches
• Thoughts of suicide
• Slowing psycho-motor (movements according to age)
• Chronic Fatigue
• Dissatisfaction with life
• Loss of interest in an activity
• Persistent boredom
• Persistent fears
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Lack of desire to leave home to make activities
• Feelings of inferiority
• Suicidal ideas.

The atypical presentation of depression can manifest itself through a binge of food and increase in hours of sleep this syndrome may be associated with low reactivity and abnormal response to affective and emotional hypersensitivity.

In the fully adult anxiety can exist, prevalence of physical symptoms on emotional, memory loss, cognitive impairment and psychotic symptoms (delusions, delusions of persecution, excessive feelings of guilt and nihilism)

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is clinical depression. The presence of more than 5 symptoms in the past two weeks confirmed the diagnosis of depression as long as they are not secondary to other causes.

Must be ruled out, first, organic causes, pharmacological or toxic compatible with a picture similar to that of a depressive disorder, but is ultimately clinical interview that provides the data necessary for the diagnosis, when the criteria set out above .

A good diagnostic evaluation should include a complete medical history.

When did the symptoms, how much they have lasted, how severe are they? If the patient has had them before, the physician must determine whether the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given.

Who diagnosed you should also ask about alcohol and drug use, and if the patient has thoughts about death or suicide.

Moreover, the interview should include questions about other family members. Any relative has had depression and, if it was treated, what treatments and which treatments were effective?

There are also several standardized questionnaires may help to discriminate whether or not a depressive disorder: as Ye-savage Depression Scale, the Zung Depression Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Goldberg Depression Test or Test Hamilton Depression.

Some even study evaluated the efficacy of two simple questions for a quick diagnosis of high reliability.

Since behavior therapy diagnosis target is individual assessment, the data will allow the individual design of treatment and control that process.

The questionnaires would not be used to compare different subjects or to check if you reach a certain score. But for comparing the scores before and after treatment as a measure of control over the psychological variables involved.

Treatment

For the decision of treatment, the physician should discuss with the patient and family, therapeutic alternatives, taking into account other factors such as previous events of depression, the presence of social or interpersonal problems associated.

Prevention

This condition is a preventable medical condition, to the promotion of positive behaviors to prevent the onset of depressive symptoms:

• Promote the development of physical activities and / or social services to help people feel better (children of all ages, teens, young adults, mature and fully)
• Avoid consumption of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, snuff, drugs, among other
• Encourage good hygiene and dietary
• Maintain a familiar emotional bond the best possible conditions as:
• Bridle enough attention and quality time
• Avoid discrimination
• Avoid the use of derogatory terms that refer to a particular condition
• Provide adequate food
• Avoid physical dependence, psychological, economic and social

Posted in Depression