| Depression is a complex of psychological and physical | | | | often called endogenous depression. Inheritance is |
| symptoms. Low mood level or sadness is often the | | | | thought to be a part of the cause.3. Depression by |
| most prominent symptom. The common property of | | | | physical diseaseDepression or depressive symptoms |
| these symptoms is a decreased activity level in parts | | | | may be a symptom of physical disease. This is |
| of the brain.THE SYMPTOMS OF | | | | perhaps the most common cause of |
| DEPRESSIONDepression may give one or more of | | | | depression.Diseases often associated with depression |
| these symptoms:-Low mood level or sadness.-Lack | | | | are: Heart disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, |
| of joy or interest in activities that were joyful | | | | hypertension or Cushing's syndrome.Mononucleosis or |
| before.-Pessimism.-Feel of guilt of something without | | | | flu may trigger depression that continues after the |
| any substantial reason to feel so.-Inferiority | | | | infection has gone.By lack of thyroid hormones, |
| thoughts.-Irritability.-Slowness in the thought | | | | hypothyroidism, the metabolism in the whole body is |
| process.-Slowness in interpreting sensorial | | | | slowed down, including the production of |
| stimuli.-Slowness of digestion or other internal physical | | | | neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore depression |
| processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, | | | | is an important symptom of hypothyroidism.4. |
| for example inflated stomach, constipation or | | | | Depressive symptoms as a consequence of unsound |
| difficulties by urination.-Slow physical | | | | lifestyleA general unsound lifestyle with too less |
| reactions.Depression can be a mild disease that only | | | | exercise, too much of stimulants like alcohol, coffee |
| causes some annoyance in the daily life, but can also | | | | or tea, too less of important nutrient and too much |
| get very serious and make a person totally unable to | | | | of sugar and fat may give depressive symptoms, as |
| work and unable to participate in social life. By | | | | well as physical problems.5. Postnatal |
| depression of some severity, there is also a greater | | | | depressionWomen will often have a period of |
| risk of suicide.Depression can occur in all age classes. | | | | depression after pregnancy and berth of the baby |
| In teenagers lack of interest in school work, | | | | Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally |
| withdrawal from social life and difficult mood can be | | | | exhausting, and may drain the body for nutrient. This |
| signs of depression.THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES | | | | in turn can cause depressive symptoms6. Seasonal |
| THAT PRODUCE THE SYMPTOMSBy depression | | | | affective disorderDepression can occur in cold and |
| there is a decreased amount of neurotransmitters in | | | | dark periods of the year and go away in warm and |
| parts of the central nervous system, mainly | | | | light periods. Light stimulates brain activity, and lack of |
| deficiency of serotonin, but also to some extend of | | | | light is a causative factor.TREATMENT OF |
| noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine or | | | | DEPRESSIONSerious or prolonged depression is often |
| gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), or the nerve cells | | | | treated with anti-depressive medication. Medicines |
| do not react properly by stimulation from | | | | used against depression generally increase the level |
| neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signal | | | | of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the central |
| substance that transmits the nerve signal through the | | | | nervous system, or they mimic the |
| junctions between two nerve cells.Serotonin and | | | | neurotransmitters.The medications mostly used today |
| noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send impulses along | | | | increase the serotonin concentration by decreasing |
| to other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in | | | | the removal of serotonin from the space around |
| the brain. Deficiency of these substances causes | | | | nerve cells. Examples of this medication type are: |
| slowness in parts of the brain, and that again causes | | | | Fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine |
| the depressive symptoms.The role of GABA is the | | | | (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro, Celexa), sentraline |
| opposite, namely to slow down some nerve impulses, | | | | (zoloft).By bipolar disorder in the manic face, heavy |
| mainly those causing anxiety and panic response. | | | | tranquilizers (neuroleptica) are used to stop the manic |
| Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and easier panic | | | | symptoms. By bipolar disorder, lithium salts are |
| response. Yet, lack of this transmitter also seems to | | | | sometimes used to stabilize the condition, and |
| cause depressive symptoms. This is because a too | | | | prevent new outbreak of depressive or manic |
| high activity in some brain processes may slow down | | | | faces.Psychotherapy is sometimes used by |
| other processes.There are many causes and | | | | depression, usually in combination with |
| subtypes of depression with different physiological | | | | medication.Sometimes serious depression is treated |
| mechanisms involved.TYPES OF | | | | by applying electric shock through the head, |
| DEPRESSIONDepression is often divided into | | | | electroconvulsive therapy. The shock induces epileptic |
| subtypes according to exhibited symptoms.1. | | | | eruption of nerve signals through the brain and this |
| Mono-polar depression and dysthymic disorderBy | | | | gives cramps throughout the body. The cramps are |
| mono-polar depression there are pure depressive | | | | alleviated or stopped by applying anaesthesia before |
| symptoms. Mild cases of mono-polar disorder that do | | | | the electroshock. This form of treatment is |
| not affect a persons ability to work and to | | | | controversial, since it can cause memory loss and is |
| participate in social activities are often called | | | | suspected of causing brain damage. The possibility of |
| dysthymic disorder.2. Bipolar disorder | | | | brain damage is however denied by most |
| (manic-depressive disease) and cyclothymic disorderIn | | | | psychiatrists.By seasonal depression, light therapy |
| this condition there are periods with symptoms of | | | | maybe useful.Adjustment of lifestyle should always |
| depression - the depressive phase, alternating with | | | | be considered by depression or depressive |
| periods of elevated mood level with increased mental | | | | symptoms. Lifestyle measures can sometimes be |
| and physical activity - the manic phase. In the manic | | | | enough to cure depressive symptoms before a |
| phase, the affected person also sleeps poorly and | | | | serious depression develop. Lifestyle adjustments can |
| has concentration difficulties. A mild form of this | | | | be:- To slow down a stressful life with too much |
| disease is called cyclothymic disorder.3. Manic | | | | work or activities.- Enough rest and sleep.- A good |
| disorderThis condition is characterized by abnormally | | | | diet with enough of necessary nutrients.- Some |
| elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of | | | | physical exercise.- Meditation.- Supplement of |
| sleep and by hyperactive behaviour. Many | | | | vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lecithin, amino acids |
| psychiatrists think that this disorder is simply the | | | | and essential fatty acids.- Stimulants like coffee or |
| same disease as bipolar disorder where the | | | | tea may help against depressive feelings in moderate |
| depressive face has not yet occurred.4. Depression | | | | amount. However, if you are a heavy user of these |
| with mainly physical symptomsSometimes the | | | | stimulants, you should cut down on your |
| physical symptoms of depression are alone or | | | | consumption.There exist nutritional products in the |
| dominant, as for example: Digestive problems, | | | | marked to help against depressive symptoms. These |
| constipation, difficulties with urination, slow response | | | | contain ingredients that the brain uses as building |
| to sensorial stimuli or slow physical reactions.CAUSES | | | | blocks for neurotransmitters, for example amino acids |
| OF DEPRESSIONTwo or more factors can have an | | | | and lecithin. They also often contain vitamins and |
| effect simultaneously to cause depression. Depression | | | | minerals that the brain uses as tools to produce |
| can be an independent disease, or a part of other | | | | neurotransmitters, especially vitamin B6.Supplements |
| disease. Depression is also divided into different | | | | may further contain herbal extracts that trigger |
| subtypes according to cause.1. Reactive | | | | higher brain activity much like anti-depressive |
| depressionThis disease is simply a result from | | | | medications, but may have fewer side effects.Knut |
| psychological stress, physical struggle or mental | | | | Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing |
| straining without proper rest or sleep over a long | | | | on health items. TO FIND natural supplements to help |
| time period. The straining will simply wear out the | | | | against serotonin deficiency, GABA deficiency, |
| nervous system or deplete the organism from | | | | hypothyroidism, mental problems, acne, skin |
| nutrient necessary for the nervous system to work | | | | problems, heart disease, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, |
| properly.2. Endogenous depressionWhen there has | | | | and other common health problems, PLEASE VISIT |
| not been any period of stress, straining or lack of | | | | to reprint with the author's name and link. |
| rest that can explain the condition, the condition is | | | | |