{"id":163,"date":"2020-07-13T22:08:40","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T22:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/?p=163"},"modified":"2020-07-13T22:08:43","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T22:08:43","slug":"what-is-depression-and-what-can-i-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/?p=163","title":{"rendered":"What is depression and what can I do about it?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Sadness, feeling down, and having a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities are familiar feelings for all of us. But if they persist and affect our lives substantially, the issue may be depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depression is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/depression\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">main cause of disability<\/a>&nbsp;worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It can affect adults, adolescents, and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, learn what depression is and what causes it. We also describe the types, their treatments, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a>Definition<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn-prod.medicalnewstoday.com\/content\/images\/articles\/008\/8933\/a-woman-with-depression-looking-out-the-window-on-a-bus.jpg?w=1155&amp;h=1444\" alt=\"a woman with depression looking out the window on a bus. \"\/><figcaption>A person with depression may experience persistent sadness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Depression is a mood disorder that involves a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Major life events, such as bereavement or the loss of a job,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1414693\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">can lead to<\/a>&nbsp;depression. However, doctors only consider feelings of grief to be part of depression if they persist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depression is an ongoing problem, not a passing one. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms last for at least 2 weeks. Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a>Signs and symptoms<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The symptoms of depression can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>a depressed mood<\/li><li>reduced interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed<\/li><li>a loss of sexual desire<\/li><li>changes in appetite<\/li><li>unintentional weight loss or gain<\/li><li>sleeping too much or too little<\/li><li>agitation, restlessness, and pacing up and down<\/li><li>slowed movement and speech<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/248002.php\">fatigue<\/a>&nbsp;or loss of energy<\/li><li>feelings of worthlessness or guilt<\/li><li>difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions<\/li><li>recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or an attempt at suicide<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/325513.php\">Find out more<\/a>&nbsp;about recognizing the hidden signs of depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>In females<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Depression is nearly&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/products\/databriefs\/db303.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">twice as common<\/a>&nbsp;among women as men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are some&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/jnr.23976\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">symptoms<\/a>&nbsp;of depression that tend to appear more often in females:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>irritability<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/info\/anxiety\/\">anxiety<\/a><\/li><li>mood swings<\/li><li>fatigue<\/li><li>ruminating (dwelling on negative thoughts)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Also,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/publications\/depression-in-women\/index.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some types<\/a>&nbsp;of depression are unique to females, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/237109.php\">postpartum depression<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/308332.php\">premenstrual dysphoric disorder<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>In males<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Around&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/monitor\/2015\/12\/numbers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9%<\/a>&nbsp;of men in the United States have feelings of depression or anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Males with depression are more likely than females to drink alcohol in excess, display anger, and engage in risk-taking as a result of the disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other symptoms of depression in males may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>avoiding families and social situations<\/li><li>working without a break<\/li><li>having difficulty keeping up with work and family responsibilities<\/li><li>displaying abusive or controlling behavior in relationships<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324312.php\">Learn more about<\/a>&nbsp;the symptoms of depression in men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>In college students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Time at college can stressful, and a person may be dealing with other lifestyles, cultures, and experiences for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some students&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/learn-from-us\/from-the-experts\/blog-posts\/consumer\/depression-among-college-students\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have difficulty<\/a>&nbsp;coping with these changes, and they may develop depression, anxiety, or both as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Symptoms of depression in college students may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>difficulty concentrating on schoolwork<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/9155.php\">insomnia<\/a><\/li><li>sleeping too much<\/li><li>a decrease or increase in appetite<\/li><li>avoiding social situations and activities that they used to enjoy<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>In teens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Physical changes, peer pressure, and other factors&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/publications\/teen-depression\/index.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">can contribute<\/a>&nbsp;to depression in teenagers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may experience some of the following symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>withdrawing from friends and family<\/li><li>difficulty concentrating on schoolwork<\/li><li>feeling guilty, helpless, or worthless<\/li><li>restlessness, such as an inability to sit still<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>In children<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The CDC estimate that, in the U.S.,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/childrensmentalhealth\/data.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3.2%<\/a>&nbsp;of children and teens aged 3\u201317 have a diagnosis of depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In children, symptoms can make schoolwork and social activities challenging. They may experience symptoms such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>crying<\/li><li>low energy<\/li><li>clinginess<\/li><li>defiant behavior<\/li><li>vocal outbursts<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Younger children may have difficulty expressing how they feel in words. This can make it harder for them to explain their feelings of sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a>Causes<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The medical community does not fully understand the causes of depression. There are many possible causes, and sometimes, various factors combine to trigger symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Factors that are likely to play a role include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>genetic features<\/li><li>changes in the brain\u2019s neurotransmitter levels<\/li><li>environmental factors<\/li><li>psychological and social factors<\/li><li>additional conditions, such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/37010.php\">bipolar disorder<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Continue reading this article <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/8933#causes\" target=\"_blank\">HERE<\/a>. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Credit: www.medicalnewstoday.com<br>Medically reviewed by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/reviewers\">Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP<\/a>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Written by Laura Goldman\u00a0on November 22, 2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sadness, feeling down, and having a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities are familiar feelings for all of us. But if they persist and affect our lives substantially, the issue may be depression. Depression is the&nbsp;main cause of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=163"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163\/revisions\/165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mncptcc.com\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}