What is it, symptoms and causes
Depression is an illness which negatively influences the way an individual feels, thinks and acts. It may be long-lasting or recurrent and has a significant impact on both professional and personal life.
Major depressive disorder:
Impacts on an individual’s day to day life. They will experience a depressed mood and loss of interest and enjoyment in life. Depending on severity major depressive disorder can be categorised as mild, moderate, or severe.
Dysthymia:
The symptoms of dysthymia are similar to major depressive disorder, however they tend to be less intense and more persistent.
A large proportion of people who have depression never have it diagnosed or receive treatment. As depression is a major risk factor for suicide, recognising the symptoms of depression is critical.
Common symptoms of depression include:
Like anxiety, the causes of depression can be difficult to identify. It is extremely complex and can occur for a variety of reasons.
Common factors which can cause depression include:
Some women suffer from postpartum depression following childbirth. It may start any time during the baby’s first year, but most commonly begins within 3 weeks of childbirth.
Signs of postpartum depression include:
Talk to a doctor immediately if any of the above signs are being displayed following childbirth or if postpartum depression is suspected.
Did you know ?
The number of people living with depression increased by almost 20% from 2005
Male depression is under-diagnosed because men are less likely to seek help