Monday, November 14, 2011

Depression Signs And Brain Health

Depression is a term which many people use when referring to someone who is sad. We all get sad or despondent from time to time. But depression is much more than that. Some people may refer to it as a feeling of impending doom. In other cases, it can make people feel apathetic, lifeless, restless or even angry or aggressive and affect their brain health. It is a major issue in many parts of the world and is something that is important to identify and address. So let’s discuss some of the more common causes, symptoms and treatments for this difficult problem.

There are a number of causes for depression. In general they can be referred to as clinical (or physically based) or situational. So it can occur that an imbalance in brain chemistry can lead to severe depression symptoms. Or in other cases, the person may become depressed based on changes in his/her environment or other significant results which may cause the person to become very sad and depressed. Depending on the cause, different treatments will be appropriate.

Some common signs of depression can include the following:

A feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. You may feel that things are terrible and will not get any better.
Loss of interest in normal daily activities. You may no longer be interested in hobbies, social activities or even sex. You may have lost the ability to feel pleasure or joy.

Appetite or weight changes.
Sleep changes. You may be awake much more throughout the night and have difficulty falling asleep.
Anger or irritability. Short tempered, agitation, anger or even violent outbursts may occur. Sometimes you may feel that everyone gets on your nerves.
Loss of energy. Feelings of fatigue and sluggishness even though you are well rested and nourished.
Self loathing. Feelings of guilt or worthlessness.

These signs are important to be aware of either in yourself or in someone you know. These changes may be minor or short lived. But if they appear to be severe and show little signs of abatement, they may be indicative of serious depression. The symptoms should be addressed immediately.

There are different treatments depending on the severity of the symptoms and the causes. If they are caused by physical changes, then a treatment of ant depressive drugs may be very effective. This may be supplemented by counseling or lifestyle changes.

If the symptoms are more situational based, then counseling can play an important role in treating them. Lifestyle changes can also be very beneficial.

In any case if should be recognized that depression can happen to anyone. Some people feel ashamed and may try to ignore the symptoms. This is not advisable and proper treatment is essential.

The symptoms of depression can generally be treated very effectively. It is therefore important to recognize when you are having a problem and then to seek proper treatment. This will certainly help you to get back on track and live a much happier life.

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