DEPRESSION

Depression Is
A feeling of severe despondency and dejection.

• feelings of severe despondency and dejection.

Symptoms of Depression:
•Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
•Loss of interest in daily activities.
•Loss of energy.
•Suicidal Thoughts

Thoughts:
•Trouble concentrating
•Trouble making decisions
•Trouble remembering
•Thoughts of harming yourself

Causes Of Depression:
•Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
•Sadness or grief from the death or loss of a loved one.
•A family history of depression.

Treatment For Depression:
treatment plan for depression will depend on the type you have and how severe it is. Some people get psychotherapy. Others also take antidepressants or get other treatments. Exercise can also be part of the plan.

Part of The Brain Affected

Effects On The Brain
Researchers believe that — more important than levels of specific brain chemicals — nerve cell connections, nerve cell growth, and the functioning of nerve circuits have a major impact on depression.
THALAMUS- Some research suggests that bipolar disorder may result from problems in the thalamus, which helps link sensory input to pleasant and unpleasant feelings.

Pt 3
HIPPOCAMUS- smaller in some depressed people, and research suggests that ongoing exposure to stress hormone impairs the growth of nerve cells in this part of the brain.
AMYGDALA- Activity in the amygdala is higher when a person is sad or clinically depressed. This increased activity continues even after recovery from depression

Statistics
•19 percent reduction in the size of the left hippocampus in patients with recurring severe depression.
•Up to 20 percent of depression patients never make a full recovery.
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million •American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older, in a given year.
•As many as one in 33 children and one in eight adolescents have clinical depression.
•People with depression are four times as likely to develop a heart attack than those without a history of the illness

Support Agencies
🔺DBSA- Depression and bipolar support alliance.
🔺ReachOut.com