Depression Health Channel

	Feature Article Illustrations for this article Click on an image below to enlarge Depression in children Depression and heart disease Show all 4 photos Depression Definition Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time. See also: Adolescent depression Depression in the elderly Alternative Names Blues; Discouragement; Gloom; Mood changes; Sadness; Melancholy Considerations Depression is generally ranked in terms of severity -- mild, moderate, or severe. The degree of your depression, which your doctor can determine, influences how you are treated. Symptoms of depression include: Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping A dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss Fatigue and lack of energy Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt Extreme difficulty concentrating Agitation, restlessness, and irritability Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness Recurring thoughts of death or suicide Low self esteem is common with depression. So are sudden bursts of anger and lack of pleasure from activities that normally make you happy, including sex. Depressed children may not have the classic symptoms of adult depression. Watch especially for changes in school performance, sleep, and behavior. If you wonder whether your child might be depressed, it's worth bringing to a doctor's attention. The main types of depression include: Major depression -- five or more symptoms listed above must be present for at least 2 weeks, but major depression tends to continue for at least 6 months. (Depression is classified as minor depression if you have fewer than five depression symptoms for at least 2 weeks. In other words, minor depression is similar to major depression except it only has 2 - 4 symptoms.) Dysthymia -- a generally milder form of depression that lasts as long as two years. Atypical depression -- depression accompanied by unusual symptoms, such as hallucinations (for example, hearing voices that are not really there) or delusions (irrational thoughts). Continue reading this article

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Major depression (1 Image) Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Major depression is when five or more symptoms of depression are present for at least 2 weeks. These symptoms include feeling sad, hopeless, worthless, or pessimistic. In addition, people with major depression often have behavior changes, such as new eating and sleeping patterns. Major depression increases a person's risk of suicide. Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (11/16/2006).Date: 05/29/2007
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Post-partum depression (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Post-partum depression is severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs sometime in the first 4 weeks after delivery. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/23/2007
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Depression - elderly (1 Image) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Depression is a medical illness in which a person has feelings of sadness, discouragement, and a lack of self-worth. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/27/2007
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Adolescent depression Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Adolescent depression is a disorder occurring during the teenage years marked by persistent sadness, discouragement, loss of self-worth, and loss of interest in usual activities. See also: Depression; Major depression. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/17/2007
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Seasonal affective disorder (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that occurs in relation to the seasons, most commonly beginning in winter. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/15/2006
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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a condition marked by severe depression, irritability, and tension before menstruation. These symptoms are more severe than those seen with premenstrual syndrome (PMS. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/08/2006
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Dysthymia (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Dysthymia is a chronic form of depression characterized by moods that are consistently low, but not as extreme as in other types of depression. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/15/2006
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Depression signs in teenagers (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Reviewer: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 12/18/2006
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Depression - resources (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy.Date: 10/13/2006
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Major depression with psychotic features (Doctor-Reviewed information)
This is a condition in which depression is associated with absence of contact with reality (psychosis. This can take the form of false beliefs (delusions) or detecting something that isn't really there (hallucination. See also major depression and psychosis. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/08/2006
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Bipolar disorder (1 Image) Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of excitability (mania) alternating with periods of depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very abrupt. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/15/2006
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Teens and Depression. in Teen Health 411 - 48 days ago

i was depressive now!i am 22 year old and i dont know how TO TREAT MY depression!psychiarist said that i have major depression and they gave me anti depres... Email  |  Save

Chantix and depression on stopping smoking. in Freedom from Smoking - 75 days ago

Right now we really dont know whether these symptoms of depression are directly caused by Chantix, by stopping smoking or by other things but have captured... Email  |  Save

Can quitting smoking trigger depression. in Freedom from Smoking - 330 days ago

The rate of major depression in the year after successfully quitting varied considerably across studies, from as low as 1% to as high as 31% There was fair... Email  |  Save