Depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), almost 10 percent of the American population over the age of 18 suffers from some form of depressive disorder [Note: NIMH refers to it as "mood disorder" which can include major depressive, dysthemic and bipolar disorders.] each year. These can range from major depressive disorders - which are a significant contributor to disabilities in those aged 15 to 44 - to dysthemic disorders and bipolar disorders.^{1, 2}

While the exact nature of the symptoms of these disorders varies, they all include a change in the way in which people think. This alteration of thought patterns, often postulated to occur in the hippocampus, can cause the release of a hormone known as cortisol, which has been linked, to stress and possible permanent brain pathway damage. These patterns sometimes occur due to flawed "wiring" in the brain or an excess or lack of certain neurotransmitters, but can also be due to stress from a work environment or because of a personal loss.

Effectively, depression is a form of faulty thinking in which individuals feel "down in the dumps" consistently. A major depressive disorder, for example, is characterized by weeks of consistently low and hopeless thinking that the individual is unable to simply "climb out of." Dysthemic disorder is a similar condition but with less intense depressive feelings, and must go on for a period of two consecutive years before being diagnosed as such.

There are a number of ways that depression can be treated, and they range from the interactive to the pharmaceutical. One common form of treatment, known as "talk therapy," involves a patient speaking to a licensed counselor in order to voice their depressive thoughts and learn ways to control them. Another option is drug therapy, which focuses on properly balancing neurotransmitter levels. These are administered by a psychiatrist and include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), over 80 percent of depression patients find some form of treatment or combination of treatments that lead to significant improvements in their lives.³

While doctor regulated treatments can be extremely beneficial in the treatment of depression, there are a number of ways to not only help prevent a mood disorder, but assist in keeping it under control. These include things such as healthy eating, consistent periods of moderate exercise including daily walking, and having an active social life. Though not a clinical solution, these simple activities can assist in limiting depressive episodes and stress.

Depression can take many forms and have many sources - from worry about a loved one's well being and things as simple as their life insurance coverage or health plans to stress over a new job or promotion. Even positive events can be a cause for depression, as anything with a significant mental impact may lead to depressive thinking.

Though 20 percent of American women⁴ and almost 10 percent of American men⁴ will struggle with depression, mood disorders are more treatable than ever with a combination of talk therapy, drug regimens and healthy daily living.

Duke Medicine, HealthNews, June 2009.

1. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

2. U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates by Demographic Characteristics. Table 2: Annual Estimates of the Population by Selected Age Groups and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2004 (NC-EST2004-02) Source: Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau Release Date: June 9, 2005. http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/

3. Canadian Mental Health Association, "A Guide to Depression Treatments," http://www.cmha.bc.ca/resources/bc_resources/deptreat

4. Weissman MM, Olfson M. Depression in women: implications for health care research. Science 1995;269:799-801.