Mental health advocacy has gained a lot of traction in the last decade or so, and many of us are beginning to recognize the importance of our mental health. In the past, depression was thought of as a weakness, something to hide. We equated it to something as simple as ‘feeling down’.
However, depression is a real illness that can be treated. It’s important to be able to spot the signs and symptoms of depression in yourself and others. Read on to find out more about depression, what can contribute to it and how to recognize it.
What is Depression?
Clinical depression is a destructive mood disorder that can be characterized by a near-constant feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in things that used to bring you joy. People can experience depression at any stage of life, although it is generally more common in women. In addition, depression can come in different forms. Some forms of depression are characterized by longer or shorter depressive episodes. Major depressive and persistent depressive disorders are generally consistent with longer depressive episodes. Postpartum and seasonal depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorder are characterized by shorter but sometimes reoccurring episodes.
Roughly 4% of the global population suffers from depression, and it is the leading cause of disability in the world.
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What Causes Depression?
Nothing really ‘causes’ depression. However, there is enough evidence to suggest that some aspects of depressive disorders may be genetically linked. Approximately 40% of people with depression report that other family members have or had depression. If you are genetically predisposed to clinical depression, you might be more likely to experience it after or during a stressful or traumatic life event.
From a neuroscientific standpoint, there are some important chemical and structural distinctions associated with depression. Dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin are three monoamine transmitters that appear to be closely linked to symptoms of clinical depression, although new research suggests that low levels of serotonin may not contribute as heavily to depression as it was once thought.
It has also been observed that people who have been diagnosed with depression have higher levels of enzymes involved in the reuptake of these neurotransmitters, meaning that they don’t stay in the brain long enough to take full effect, which contributes to low levels.
The bottom line is that, as with most mental health problems, it is difficult to pinpoint one specific cause. In most cases, a combination of genetics, experiences and personality traits are what ‘causes’ depression.
Some Signs You Might Be Depressed
Feeling Sad or Hopeless
We all get sad sometimes, and sadness can be brought on any stressful or upsetting situation. You might have a depression disorder if you’ve been feeling sad, hopeless, or teary-eyed for more than two weeks and if it’s impacting your day-to-day life. People who suffer from depression feel a sadness that doesn’t go away, even when reminded of things to look forward to or engaging in activities that used to bring them joy.
Loss of Interest
In fact, a loss of interest in favourite hobbies and activities is another sign of a depressive disorder. Many who suffer from depression even lose interest in spending time with others and begin to withdraw. This might be because they feel they must ‘cover up’ what they’re going through and act like everything is ok, which is exhausting.
Loss of Appetite or Weight Loss/Gain
Many who suffer from a depressive disorder report low energy levels. Often, the very idea of grocery shopping or cooking for themselves is too much. Additionally, stomach issues like nausea or diarrhea can greatly diminish one’s appetite and sometimes coincide with depressive episodes.
On the other hand, some people dealing with depression turn to food for comfort, resulting in weight gain.
Insomnia and/or Fatigue
Sleep and depression tend to go hand-in-hand. It’s been documented that chronically sleep-deprived people are at a higher risk of developing depression. On the flip side, depression can also cause a person to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, which can prolong or worsen the depressive episode. Chemical changes in the brain, specifically serotonin and melatonin, contribute both to the symptomatology of depression and how your body regulates its sleep-wake cycle.
Aches and Pains
The cycle of depression and pain can be similar to that of sleep and depression in that they tend to affect each other. Physical pain can wear you down mentally, and cause even more physical pain as a result. However, some depressed patients report physical symptoms like headaches, backaches or stomach problems that have no apparent cause.
Psychogenic pain is physical pain that has no apparent physical source and occurs due to underlying psychological or emotional factors. We aren’t sure why this happens, but one theory suggests that our brain becomes ‘confused’ and interprets emotional distress as physical pain. Nerve receptors send signals from our bodies to our brains when we injure ourselves, but since mental pain has no clear physical source, our brains might have trouble interpreting it.
Brain Fog
One of the most reported symptoms of depression is a decreased or severely reduced ability to concentrate. Cognitive dysfunction, the technical term for brain fog, can wreak havoc on your social life, your performance at work and your overall productivity. This is not only extremely frustrating but can, in turn, worsen how you feel about yourself which can exacerbate depression.
Increased Substance Use
If you find yourself using drugs or alcohol to cope, this is a major sign that it’s time to seek help because your depression has spiralled out of control. Roughly 20-70% of people with a substance dependency problem also have a mental health or mood disorder. Conversely, one study found that approximately 25% of depressed people admitted to using drugs or alcohol or even sex or shopping to cope. When we engage in these activities, were temporarily increasing our levels of dopamine, which we’ve learned is usually lacking in depressed patients. Over time, our brain starts to associate these habits with the only way to feel good, so we begin to seek them out, which can quickly become problematic.
