Depression is not just 'feeling sad' or a little low. To be diagnosed, symptoms must persist for several weeks at a time and be continuous. Feelings resulting from depression can include anger, withdrawing from socialising, a continuous state of feeling helpless, worthless and a lack of hope. The symptoms will not go away within a day or even a week. You can even have thoughts of harming yourself, and suicidal thoughts.
The difference from having depression and feeling depressed?
Having depression and feeling depressed is very different in many aspects as in depression will last for the minimum of 2 weeks and feeling depressed is a shorter amount of time. Feeling depressed you can get over very easily and it does not really last longer than a day.
Symptoms of Depression
- Feeling hopeless and like nobody can help you.
- Losing interest in things that you used to enjoy. Ect activities, hobbies and even friends and family.
- Feeling drowsy or tired all the time.
- Sleep pattern has changed
- Changing of appetite.
- Not being able to concentrate on stuff that you could do before.
- On control being negative even if you try.
- Short temper and irritable
- You're more likely to drink or engaging are the reckless behaviour.
What's the science behind depression?
Many people think that because you can't see a condition it's not going on. Most of depression symptoms which you can observe through a person's behaviour are actually a result of chemical imbalance in the brain.
In a person without depression, serotonin (the chemical which makes us feel happy) will be released at a regular rate, whereas in a person with depression it may not be released very efficiently - resulting in low mood. This can be treated with SSRIs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.
These are commonly known as antidepressants. Taken in pill or liquid form, they are only available after an assessment with your GP, who may also recommend talking therapy or counselling. Usually coming in 25mg tablets, there are different kinds of anti-depressants - sertraline can be taken whilst pregnant or breastfeeding, citalopram can only be taken by adults over the age of 18 and fluoxetine is suitable for younger sufferers.
You may also have a smaller frontal lobe and hippocampus volume.
What is the frontal lobe?
Both of the frontal lobes are placed behind the forehead and is the front of the brain.
What does it do?
The frontal lobe is responsible for behaviour, learning, personality and voluntary moments.
What is the hippocampus?
Is in the centre of your brain. Any shape that abit like a kidney.
What does it do?
We're thought to believe that other hippocampus is the centre of your emotions, memory and also nervous system.
How can I help myself with depression?
Check the list and see if you have 5 or more of the symptoms. If so you can either talk about to someone about it or you could go straight to the doctor's can tell the doctors about your symptoms. Remember the longer you leave it the worse it will get.
Making me illness
Looking for depression in other people?
How do I help other people with depression?
Whatever you do, don't ignore them, even if they become irritable, as this will only make their depression worse. Keep inviting them out and checking up on them, but not in a clinical way - all you have to do is say ''Hey, wanna meet up? Thought you might be a bit low - is everything alright?" or something along those lines.
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