Power 3: Use Information and Technology

Thesis Paper

“Depression can seem worse then terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem”

David D. Burns.

 

“Many people think that depression is something you just have to live with when you get older, but its not”

Tom Bosley

 

“My recovery from manic depression has been an evolution, not a sudden miracle”

Patty Duke

 

“Depression is the inability to construct a future”

Rollo May

 

“Depression is nourished by a lifetime of aggrieved and unforgiving hurts”

Penelope Sweet

     In the United States, 15 million people suffer from depression. 1 in every 33 children in America experience depression. Women experience depression twice as much as men, however men experience suicidal tendencies three times more than women. Many people are suffering in silence, as they do not realize the illness they have, they feel alone and unable to ask for help and they feel it is a weakness that needs to be hidden. Depression is more than just having the blues. Depression is not a personal weakness or personality fault. Depression is a recognized, treatable illness.

Depression affects people of all ages, even those who don’t have family history of this mental illness. It can strike anyone when triggered, and can affect a person’s life in many ways.

     

In this paper I am going to examine what depression is, the types of depression, the symptoms of depression, the causes of depression, and the treatment of depression.

What is Depression?

A way most describe depression is an illness that affects mood, behavior, thoughts, and health. Depression interferes with everyday life or activates. The person would feel worthlessness, sadness and low self-esteem. Some even describe depression as living in a black hole or having a feeling of impending doom. However, some people feel empty and lifeless. Depression is more than being sad, it’s a disease.

      Depression can cause someone to become very sick and have body aches. A person’s eating habits and energy level drop. When this happens the body starts to shut down to make you sick and also in pain.

      Depression can make a person have different moods. Some feel sadness and hopelessness. Some even feel guilty, or worthless. Some people even think about death or suicide.

Causes of depression;

     Depression is caused by psychological, environmental, and genetic factors.

Many people do not know that depression affects the brain. With depression, the levels of Nuerotransmitters decrease in the brain. Nuerotransmitters are chemical messengers. Depressed people also have reduced levels of Serotonin. Therefore it leads to mood de-stabilization. Also, the Hippicampus in the brain is smaller in depressed people.

Depression has a genetic link. You are more likely to experience depression if it runs in the family. But it is true that millions of people without a family history become depressed.

Many other things can make a person depressed. People can become depressed by the changes in the seasons. In the Winter the days are shorter and darker, leading people into depression. Also, losing a job, death of a family member or friend, or other traumatic events can trigger depression. But many things could make a person depressed.

      Seasons changing in some cases are a reason for depression. In the winter they days are shorter and darker. A death could cause this illness as well.

Symptoms of Depression;

-       Feeling sad or hopeless

-       Frequent crying spells

-       Losing interest or pleasure in things that you used to enjoy (including sex)

-       Feeling guilty, helpless, or worthless

-       Thinking about death or suicide

-        Sleeping too much, or having problems sleeping

-       Weight loss or gain

-       Feeling tired all the time

-       Trouble paying attention and making decisions

-       Having aches and pains (they don’t get better with treatment)

-       Feeling restless, irritated, and easily annoyed

I have seen and been through most of these symptoms. My mom as well as myself go through crying spells art least once a week. I don’t feel sad but when they come I feel like I am a worthless person and I can’t do anything right. Most of the time I feel worthless and that everyone would be better off with out me. I am always feeling tired and I don’t have the energy to do a lot of things I used to do. Getting up in the mornings feels like a chore, I lose interest in school, and other things I once enjoyed doing.

Other symptoms of depression I have seen are physical pain, and significant weight loss. Knowing the symptoms may help yourself or someone you know recognize early signs of depression.

Types of Depression;

The three main types of depression are Major depression, Dystymia depression, and Manic depression.

Major depression is also known as Major Depressive Disorder. With this type of depression a depressive episode occurs for most of the day, everyday for at least two weeks.

Dysthymia also known as Dystymic Disorder. Dystymia is classified as a person with depressed moods lasting for two years.

Manic Depression also known as Bipolar Disorder. This kind of depression would include periods of mania.

-       Postpartum or “Baby blues” Depression- Major depression after having a baby

-       Atypical Depression- Sub-type of Major or Dystmia

-       Seasonal Affective Disorder or (SAD)- major depression is affected by change in season

-       Situational or Reactive depression- Triggered by stressful or traumatic events

Treatment of Depression;

“ Self-acceptance is my refusal to be in an adversarial relationship to myself”

Nathaniel Brand

      There are a number of methods for treating depression, the most common are medication and psychotherapy.

      Antidepressants work to stabilize the neurotransmitters. With Antidepressants they take three to four weeks to show if they are working or not. When stopped it can cause a relapse or can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Some of the medications are-

-Paxil

-Prozac

-Zoloft

-Pristiq

-Seroquel

-Remeron

-Xanax

-Celexa

-Effexor

-Elavil

Side effects of the medications include-

-Headaches

-Nausea

-Insomnia

-Nervousness

-Dry mouth

-Constipation

-Bladder problems

-Blurred vision

-Drowsiness

      Psychotherapy, is also known as “talk therapy”. Some people are in therapy for 10-20 weeks and sometimes longer. With therapy if focuses on how to handle the symptoms and the depressive episodes that come with depression. 

Depression is not just being sad, it’s a disease.

“Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I am permitted to hold for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generation”

George Bernard Shaw

 

“I like living. I have sometimes been widely, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know that just be alive is a grand thing”

Agatha Christic

 

“Take the first step, no more, no less, and the next will be revealed”

Ken Roberts

 

      The things I have learned in this search to find answers for myself have been very helpful to my heart. I have learned things I would never have know without doing this topic. I am part of that 15 million people with this illness. This is not a made up disease, it is something that a lot of people including children must deal with everyday of their lives.  I am confident that I will be able to manage this disease in the future and live a long, happy, and meaningful life.