Understanding Depression

[Mariana]

Please download the attached file. It's an extremely educational article written by Dr. Carver!

Introduction:
Depression is perhaps the most common of all mental health problems, currently felt to affect one in every four adults to some degree. Depression is a problem with mood/feeling in which the mood is described as sad, feeling down in the dumps, being blue, or feeling low. While the depressed mood is present, evidence is also present which reflects the neurochemical or "brain chemistry" aspects of depression with the depressed individual experiencing poor concentration/attention, loss of energy, accelerated thought/worry, sleep/appetite disturbance, and other physical manifestations. When this diagnosis is present, the individual will exhibit at least five of the following symptoms during the depressive periods:
• - Depressed mood, most of the day or every day
• - Markedly diminished interest in all or almost all activities
• - Significant weight loss or gain or appetite disturbance
• - Insomnia or excessive sleeping
• - Psychomotor agitation or retardation (restlessness)
• - Low energy level or chronic tiredness
• - Feelings of inadequacy, loss of self-esteem, and/or self-deprecation
• - Decreased attention, concentration, or ability to think clearly
• - Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, an expressed desire to be dead