DEPRESSION

Joan Harris EDU214

Are you sad? Do you feel hopeless and worthless in life? Do you feel like there is nothing to live for? Do you have thoughts of suicide?

Depression is a medical illness that causes a person to feel sad, hopelessness, loss of interest in life and thoughts of suicide. Depression is not necessary something you get over in time. Depression can be ongoing and there are various types of depression. The most common types of depression are as follows:
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD) DYSTHYMIC PREMENSTRUAL DYSPHORIC DISORDER (PMS) BIPOLAR DISORDER (MANIA) MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER ATYPICAL DEPRESSION

TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION IS VARIED. OFTEN ANTIDEPRESSANTS ARE USED BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM. PSYCHOTHERAPY IS ALSO A MECHANSIM THAT IS USED TO TREAT DEPRESSION.

DEPRESSION CAUSES MAJOR CHANGES IN THE BRAIN. BELOW IS A PICTURE OF A BRAIN OF A PERSON WHO IS DEPRESSED IN COMPARISON TO A PERSON WHO IS NOT DEPRESSED.

More than 15 million Americans suffer from depression. Women are twice as much likely to suffer from depression than men. Most people who suffer from depression fail to get help for their depression. This is due to genetic, biological and social factors. Veterans also suffer from extreme depression. American veterans die at the rate of 22 a day from suicide. This statistic amounts to one suicide of an American veteran every 65 minutes.

Depression is very common in the elderly. Their loss of independence, need for assistance with ADLs (assist with daily living activities), decline in health and physical limitations are just a few reasons that depression in the elderly is quite common. A study was conducted which dealt with the use of assistive devices by older people with depressive symptoms in 2008. Conclusion was that depression decreased after three years in older adults that used assistive devices. However, if the elderly person was unable to use assistive devices to make his or her life more independent, the depression increased. Careful attention must be made when dealing with medications of the elderly and depression. Depression in the elderly can be life threatening and it must be taken seriously.

TREATMENT
Treatment of depression can be through medication and psychological counseling. It is also very helpful to have a strong support system in place to help the person deal with the depression.

The Mental Health Association of Maryland http://www.mhamd.org/aboutus/index.htm Healthy New Moms (directly deals with perinatal depression) http://www.healthynewmoms.org/ University of Maryland Counseling Center http://www.counseling.umd.edu/Selfhelp/sh_deprs.htm National Alliance on Mental Illness http://www.nami.org/ University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston http://www.uthealthleader.org http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/21/us/22-veteran-suicides-a-day/ http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-depression-overview http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175/DSECTION=treatments -and-drugs Changes in Impairment Level, Functional Status, and use of Assistive Devices by Older People with Depressive Symptoms. Mann, W.C., Johnson, J.L., Lynch, L.G., Justiss, M.D., Tomita, M., & Wu, S.S. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 9-17 (2008).