Running Head: SEVERE DEPRESSION

Severe Depression

Unfortunately nowadays depression is quite common among people of different age. There are different kinds of depression but severe depression is the most difficult and dangerous kind of depression. Irritation, insomnia or any other sleeping distinctions, loosing interest to life and constant bad mood can be typical signs of depression. “About 2 in 3 adults have depression at some time in their life. Sometimes it is mild or lasts just a few weeks. However, an episode of depression serious enough to require treatment occurs in about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men at some point in their lives. Some people have two or more episodes of depression at various times in their life” (Garnett, 2000, p 119). If insomnia, bad mood and irritation last more than two weeks, then they can be the symptoms of severe depression, which should be treated by specialists. In many cases severe depression may be accompanied by other physical dysfunctions and illnesses. In these case doctors should use compound and complex approach.
Severe depression is a serious illness, which requires medical treatment. It is accompanied with weakness of the whole body, poor appetite, troubles with sleeping, lack of force and energy, absent-mindedness, unwillingness to do anything. “For the term "severe" to be of clinical value, it should imply that there is a greater-than-usual degree of impairment and/or that a greater intensity of treatment is required to achieve recovery” (Zuckerbrot et al, 2007, p. 152). During the severe depression the mood is continually bad, people feel miserable, lonely and needless. It seems that there is no way out of this “black” state. Person is afraid to stay alone with his thoughts, he prefers to kill time. There are hundreds of methods: television, sleeping, Internet – anything that helps person to escape his own problems, so-called kinds of escapism. There is no need to tell that it is impossible to run from his problems, but the pain of depressed person is too great to overcome it at once. It is well known that mental pain is much worse that physical. The worst thing about escapism is that when other methods do not help, person can decide to use something stronger, like alcohol and drugs.
Severe depression begins on the emotional level, but when it lasts too long it may overgrow to the biological one. It is much more dangerous, because it can cause irreversible changes in our organisms.
The depression causes damage not only to the person who has is, but to his relatives and friends, who do their best to help the depressed person but fail in their effort. There is nothing worse than to see how the dearest person suffers and have no possibility to help.
Support of closest people is very important in dealing with depression. Family members should pay special attention to the symptoms, which can be the symptoms of severe depression and address clinic, as soon as they notice them. Many people simply do not believe that depression is not a whim but an illness, which can and should be treated. Some people simply do not notice these symptoms, when they develop gradually. The help of the members of their families can be the key to treating this disorder. Statistics shows that only one from six cases of severe depression is timely diagnosed (Haug, 1996, p. 42). In some cases severe depression becomes a reason of suicide. (Conwell, 2001). In many cases severe depression becomes a forerunner of suicide and if diagnosed and treated in time it can prevent suicide. The highest rates of suicide are detected among white men from 80 to 85 years old (Conwell, 2001, p. 42).
Severe depression exhausts physical forces, suppresses positive feelings and causes a lot of problems to dear people. Lack of attention from dear people during this difficult period can have very bad consequences for the members of the family. It is a common known fact that one of the main reasons of depression is the feeling of loneliness and lack of love.
Exact reasons of depression are not distinguished yet. Chemical imbalance n brain is the most common symptom of depression. The problem which is still not resolved by the modern scientists is about the cause and consequences. They still can not find out if the chemical imbalance is a result of depression of is it its cause. Theoretically each person can become depressed. Some kinds of depressions develop suddenly after minor irritations and others start after several months of difficult situations and emotional pressure. In many cases life events become the reasons of depression. Problems at the work place, relationship problems or physical illness result in depression. “In many people it is a mixture of the two. For example, the combination of a mild low mood with some life problem, such as work stress, may lead to a spiral down into depression’ (Garnett, 2000, p. 120).
There are different methods of dealing with severe depression. Depression is easier to treat in the initial stages of this disorder. The longer person has depression the more difficult it will be to treat it. That is why right disposing of depression is so important. Medical workers and family should pay special attention to the symptoms of depression in order to recognize it in time. It is obligatory that all people should be aware about the symptoms of depression and address to medical institutions, as soon as the first sings of severe depression are noticed. Insomnia, sings of excessive worry, irritability, dizziness, hypochondria, inability to perform routine actions, chronic pains and detachment from the society can signify severe depression.
Non-melancholic depression is the most widespread type of depression. This type of depression is harder to diagnose as it can have hidden symptoms, which are not so vivid as the symptoms of other kinds of depressions. This type of depression had been underestimated through the years but latest researches prove that this depression can cause serious disablement and distress and last for years.
The type of the treatment should be agreed with the condition and personal needs of the patient. Counseling is one the most common and effective means to deal with depression. Special exercise programs can also be effective when dealing with severe depression. “Research has shown that regular exercise can help to ease symptoms of depression in some cases” (Zuckerbrot et al, 2007, p. 154).
In severe cases antidepressants should be applied for treatment. Usually it is required more time for the medicines to start acting in the cases with depression.
The depressed person should understand that the causes of the greatest part of all depressions are not reasonable and the best thing for a person to do is to think over his problem without emotions. In fact, the problems of many people are emotional but not physical, so they can be solved by simple deliberation. That is great if a person can do it himself without the help of psychiatrist but if the state is too poor and the depression is too long, the help of the professional can be a good way out of the crisis.

References

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Conwell Y. (2001). Suicide in later life: a review and recommendations for prevention. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 31, 32-47.

Garnett, C (2000). Depression: A Serious but Treatable Illness, NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison

Haug, M. R. (1996). Elements in Physician/Patient Interactions in Late Life Research on Aging 18(1): 32 - 51.

Stewart JW. (2007). Treating depression with atypical features. J Clin Psychiatry.;68 Suppl 3:25-9.

Zuckerbrot RA, Cheung AH, Jensen PS, Stein RE, Laraque D. ( 2007 Nov).GLAD-PC Steering Group. Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC): I. Identification, assessment, and initial management. Pediatrics. 120(5).
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