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