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Depression

Depression is known as a mood disorder. It can cause one to feel "down" or sad. Some depressed people often feel like crying for no apparent reason. Depression, like anxiety, can cause one to feel a decreased ability to enjoy life. Sighing and a feeling of listlessness are often seen in those who are mildly or moderately depressed. Pessimism is very often a sign of depression.

More severe depression can interrupt one's sleep or appetite, make one agitated and even cause a slowing of movement ie. walking, talking, thinking, etc. In extreme depression one may become virtually incapacitated - unable to get out of bed, eat or to take any action to complete tasks one has to do. Depression is a major cause of "underachieving."

It is usually assumed that there are two forms of depression. Endogenous depression is thought to be caused internally by a chemical malfunction in the brain. A physical cause. Exogenous depression is caused by some external event that has had a severely disruptive effect such as a death of a loved one or a divorce. A psychological cause, if you will. Both causes can occur together.

It is virtually universally agreed that psychotherapy is the treatment of choice for depression. In the case of bereavement, grief counseling can be very beneficial. Sometimes anti-depressant drugs or similar depression medication is prescribed which can help the patient to mobilize him or herself and make psychotherapy accessible, even in elderly depression. In all cases, the depressed mood eventually affects the personality of the patient which is why psychotherapy is recommended.

If you suspect that you or someone you know is depressed try the following quick test:

1. Do you frequently feel fatigued when there is no physical reason that you know of?
2. Do you frequently feel sad or down?
3. Do you cry or feel on the verge of crying often and for no apparent reason?
4. Is life "hard"?
5. Do you find that you sleep a lot longer than you used to or that you feel fatigued or drowsy during the day??

If you answer yes to any of the above questions you may want to consider the possibility that you suffer from depression.