Definition

Depression is a mood disorder that is defined as feelings of sadness, anxiety or loss of passion that can interfere with daily activities. Depression can affect the way you think and behave, resulting in emotional disorders. This can then cause you to feel that your life is useless. People with depressive disorders hate themselves to the point of feeling a loss of self-esteem.

The incidence of depression in the world is estimated to reach 3.8 percent or 280 million people of the world's total population. Adults experience five percent of them, and 5.7 percent are experienced by older people aged over 60 years. At its worst stage, depression can drive someone to commit suicide. More than 700,000 people die by suicide every year.

Causes

The causes of depression can vary and have a complex relationship between social, psychological, and biological aspects. Research shows that disturbances in chemical compounds in the brain have a significant role in the occurrence of depressive disorders. Changes in the function and effects of neurotransmitters, compounds that carry signals between nerve cells, and how neurotransmitters react to neural circuits are important in maintaining mood stability.

A change in the balance of hormonal compounds can also trigger depression. Generally, hormonal changes occur in pregnancy, during the postpartum period, and in people with thyroid disorders. Nowadays, many studies are being conducted to find genetic links in people with depressive disorders. People with a family history of depressive disorders are more prone to developing this disorder.

Risk factor

Depression can generally be triggered by events that are considered sad or traumatic in a person's life, such as losing a job or losing someone they love very much. Depression can attack all age groups. However, depression is more dominant in the adult age category.

Many adults with chronic mood and anxiety disorders, starting from childhood, show a tendency to excessive anxiety. Depression that occurs in people with other health disorders can worsen a person's condition. Not infrequently, the drugs consumed can cause side effects and play a role in depressive disorders.

Symptoms

Depressive disorder can manifest differently from person to person, with varying symptoms. Symptoms that appear can vary depending on the severity of the depressive disorder, the frequency with which the disorder occurs, and the onset of the disorder. The following are some symptoms of depression include: 

• Feelings of sadness, anxiety, or feeling “empty”
• Feelings of hopelessness, uselessness, and pessimism
• Often cries
• Feeling easily irritated or irritable
• Losing passion including things you enjoy
• Feel tired quickly
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Sleep disorders
• Changes in weight
• Prolonged pain with no apparent cause that does not improve with treatment (headache, muscle or joint pain, indigestion, muscle cramps)
• Thoughts of ending your life or hurting yourself

Diagnosis

Making a diagnosis of depression must be done carefully, considering that the signs and symptoms vary in each individual. If you visit the doctor, the doctor will ask about your medical, family, and social history and try to find the primary cause or trigger that causes depression symptoms to appear in you.

Furthermore, the doctor will also carry out laboratory tests to ensure that the function of your thyroid gland is not disturbed, considering that disturbances in the hormonal compounds in the body can cause depression. The doctor will conduct a psychiatric evaluation to assess the severity of the symptoms you are experiencing, including the content of your thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. You may be asked to fill out several questionnaires that are used as a tool to help your doctor determine your diagnosis.

Management

Depression at all levels of severity is highly treatable. In principle, the sooner treatment is carried out, the better and more effective the treatment effect for patients with depression. Depressive disorders generally intervene with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both.

Doctors can prescribe antidepressant drugs as the leading choice for treating the symptoms of depression that appear. Antidepressant drugs generally show effects after 2-4 weeks after use. Start by restoring concentration and improving sleep cycles before finally improving mood. The doctor will adjust the dose of the medicine according to the condition and symptoms you are experiencing. If you start using antidepressants, you should not stop the drugs without instructions or advice from a doctor.

Some simple types of psychotherapy, such as "chatting therapy", better known as counselling, can help people with depression. Suppose medication therapy, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two is still not effective in reducing the symptoms that arise. In that case, therapy in the form of ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) and other brain stimulation therapies can be an option for patients with depressive disorders.

Complications

Depression is a severe mental disorder and should not be ignored because it has the potential to cause various complications. One of the most dangerous complications is the desire to harm oneself and even the desire to commit suicide. Apart from that, people with depressive disorders generally also experience social problems with the people around them. A decreased or excessive increase in appetite in someone with depressive disorders can also result in various metabolic diseases. People with depressive disorders require heightened sensitivity and appropriate care from those around them to effectively manage their symptoms.

Prevention

Depression is considered difficult to prevent because it is difficult to recognize the causes or triggers of depressive disorders in each individual with different preferences and experiences regarding the traumatic events they have experienced or various things that can cause feelings of sadness or loss.

If you have experienced a depressive episode, you should start changing your lifestyle to anticipate depressive symptoms that may appear in the future. Some lifestyle changes that can help you overcome the symptoms of depression include exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and building good relationships and communication with the people around you.

When to see a doctor?

Depression can occur temporarily or over a long period. Generally, symptoms of depression appear for more than two weeks. Treatment does not always make the depression you experience disappear completely. However, treatment generally makes the symptoms appear more controllable. The right combination of treatment and therapy can help you control the symptoms that appear to prevent complications resulting from the depressive disorder you are experiencing.

Suppose you are unable to control your symptoms and feel that complications are emerging. In that case, you should immediately see a doctor for proper treatment.