Psychological Disorders

Depression

- Introduction
Everyone occasionally feels sad or disillusioned during the course of life. Such emotions are usually associated with academic failures for students, relationship problems and financial losses etc. It is all part of human nature. In fact, Emile Durkheim once famous wrote: "Man could not live if he were entirely impervious to sadness". Usually, people bounce back with resilience from such troubles. However, there are also times when the state of sadness may worsen to the point where the individual feels entirely hopeless and disillusioned with life. Depression is a common but serious illness: According to the Singapore Ministry of Health, close to 9% of the adult population suffer from it while an estimated 6% of the elderly are affected. He or she experiences a multitude of sadness, helplessness that persists over time, for at least 2 weeks. Furthermore, life becomes a daily struggle because activities that once provided happiness are now mundane.

- Symptons
Patients with depression usually experience the following conditions:

• Persistent feelings of sadness and irritability
• Lacking energy and feeling lethargic all the time
• Loss of interest in almost all activities, including things that you used to enjoy
• Drastic weight changes: losing or gaining a lot of weight with appetite changes
• Struggle to concentrate
• Feelings of restlessness and agitation
• Sleep problems might also develop
• Experience recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideations

- Risk Factors and Causes
Like many mood disorders, there is no single definitive cause for depression. Rather, a combination of genetic, environmental and psychological factors gives rise to the disorder. If one has parents who are depressed, he or she is more likely to develop depression. Adverse social environments can also increase your likelihood of experiencing depression. In addition, traumatic life events, loss of loved ones, or any excessively stressful situations may trigger a depressive episode.

- Treatment
Depression, even the most severe cases, is a highly treatable disorder. As with many other mood disorders, treatment is more effective if it is administered earlier. Firstly, antidepressants are usually administered to stabilize and improve patient's mood. Secondly, psychotherapy is also used to augment the benefits of medication. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has the best-documented efficacy for the treatment of depression. Since patients often develop rigid and pessimistic worldviews, they can learn how to identify, and modify negatively biased thoughts that would only serve to reinforce feelings of worthlessness. In severe cases, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) has been found to be very effective too.