Physicians Health

Life is impossible to imagine without experiencing some kind of depression. But when the state of being depressed does not pass after a relatively short period of time, you may be developing a more serious problem.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also know as biological depression, clinical depression, severe major depression and recurrent depressive disorder, is a mental condition characterized by low mood for an indefinite period of time, but longer than two or three weeks.

Symptoms that persist include lack of energy, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, unwillingness to participate in daily activities, guilt, profound sadness, low self-esteem and a loss of interest in pleasure. Attempted suicide is also a prime indicator of MDD. In many cases the disorder is triggered by a severe psychosocial stressor (loss of a loved one, divorce, death of a child).

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 14.8 million adults aged 18 and older in the US are affected by MDD per year. Ninety percent of suicides are due to depressive or substance abuse disorders.

Alcoholism and drug abuse are closely related to MDD and can contribute to its development.

There are four basic types of MDD treatment:

• An antidepressant medication used to balance mood disorders.
• A placebo that is given to a patient who is told that it can change his mood and improve his condition.
• Interpersonal therapy, which is a form of psychotherapy that helps the individual to overcome depression and increase the sense of self-importance through interpersonal relationships.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on helping the patient control thoughts, feelings and behavior through home assignments.

The choice of treatment made by the medical professional depends on the patient’s level of depression. But one thing is clear–MDD sufferers need mental health rehabilitation. For less severely depressed patients all treatments are equally good. For severely depressed patients antidepressant drug therapy is the most effective. However, it’s important to note that some anti-depressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can potentially take up to eight weeks to show effectiveness.

Notwithstanding the fact that we can come across a depressive situation at some point in our lives, we have to do our best to recover. The first place to start is by consulting your physician.

Photo © Jöey

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