Depression----TheMentalIllnesswhatisdepressionDepressionisamentalhealthdisorder,apsychiatriccondition,characterizedbysadness,lossofinterestorpleasure,feelingsofguiltorlowself-worth,disturbedsleeporappetite,feelingsoftiredness,andpoorconcentration.Specifically,itisamooddisordercharacterizedbypersistentlylowmoodinwhichthereisafeelingofsadnessandlostofinterest.Depressionisdifferentfromthefluctuationsinmoodthatweallexperienceasapartofanormalandhealthylife.Temporaryemotionalresponsestothechallengesofeverydaylifedonotconstitutedepression.AccordingtotheUSCentersforDiseasePreventionandControl(CDC),8%ofpeopleovertheageof12yearshasdepressioninanytwo-weekperiod.TheWorldHealthOrganization(WTO)putsdepressionatthetopofthelist-itisthemostcommonillnessworldwideandtheleadingceaseofdisability.Theorganizationestimatesthat350millionpeoplearoundtheworldareaffectedbydepression.MajorDepressivedisorderMajordepressivedisorder(MDD),alsoknownsimplyasdepression,isamentaldisordercharacterizedbyatleasttwoweeksoflowmoodthatispresentacrossmostsituations.Itisoftenaccompaniedbylowself-esteem,lossofinterestinnormallyenjoyableactivities,lowenergy,andpainwithoutaclearcause.Peoplemayalsooccasionallyhavefalsebeliefsorseeorhearthingsthatotherscannot.Somepeoplehaveperiodsofdepressionseparatedbyyearsinwhichtheyarenormalwhileothersnearlyalwayshavesymptomspresent.Majordepressivedisordercannegativelyaffectsaperson'sfamily,workorschoollife,sleepingoreatinghabits,andgeneralhealth.Between2-7%ofadultswithmajordepressiondiebysuicide,andupto60%ofpeoplewhodiebysuicidehaddepressionoranothermooddisorder.Thecauseisbelievedtobeacombinationofgenetic,environmental,andpsychologicalfactors.Riskfactorsincludeafamilyhistoryofthecondition,majorlifechanges,certainmedications,chronichealthproblems,andsubstanceabuse.About40%oftheriskappearstoberelatedtogenetics.Thediagnosisofmajordepressivedisorderisbasedontheperson'sreportedexperiencesandamentalstatusexamination.Thereisnolaboratorytestformajordepression.Testing,however,maybedonetoruleoutphysicalconditionsthatcancausesimilarsymptoms.Majordepressionshouldbedifferentiatedfromsadnesswhichisanormalpartoflifeandislesssevere.TheUnitedStatesPreventiveServicesTaskForce(USPSTF)recommendsscreeningfordepressionamongthoseovertheage12,whileapriorCochranereviewfoundinsufficientevidenceforscreening.Typically,peoplearetreatedwithcounsellingandantidepressantmedication.Medicationappearstobeeffective,buttheeffectmayonlybesignificantinthemostseverelydepressed.Itisunclearwhethermedicationsaffecttheriskofsuicide.Typesofcounsellingusedincludecognitivebehavioraltherapy(CBT)andinterpersonaltherapy.Ifothermeasuresarenoteffectiveelectroconvulsivetherapy(ECT)maybetried.Hospitalizationmaybenecessaryincaseswithariskofharmtoselfandmayoccasionallyoccuragainstaperson'swishes.Majordepressivedisorderaffectedapproximately253million(3.6%)ofpeoplein2013.Thepercentageofpeoplewhoareaffectedatonepointintheirlifevariesfrom7%inJapanto21%inFrance.Lifetimeratesarehigherinthedevelopedworld(15%)comparedtothedevelopingworld(11%).Itcausesthesecondmostyearslivedwithdisabilityafterlowbackpain.Themostcommontimeofonsetisinapersonintheir20sand30s.Femalesareaffectedabouttwiceasoftenasmales.TheAmericanPsychiatricAssociationaddedmajordepressivedisordertotheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSM-III)in1980.ItwasasplitofthepreviousdepressiveneurosisintheDSM-IIwhichalsoencompassedtheconditionsnowknownasdysthymiaandadjustmentdisorderwithdepressedmood.Thosecurrentlyorpreviouslyaffectedmaybestigmatized.Whatarethesignsandsymptomsofdepression?depressionmaybetriggeredbystressfullifeevents,otherillnesses,certaindrugsormedications,orinheritedtraits.althoughcausesofdepressionarenotentirelyunderstood,weknowitislinkedtoanimbalanceinbrainchemistry.oncetheimbalanceiscorrected,symptomsofdepressiongenerallyimprovePeoplewithdepressiveillnessesdonotallexperiencethesamesymptoms.Theseverity,frequencyanddurationofsymptomswillvarydependingontheindividualandhisorherparticularillness.Symptomsinclude:Persistentsad,anxiousoremptyfeelingsFeelingsofhopelessnessand/orpessimismFeelingsofguilt,worthlessnessand/orhelplessnessIrritability,restlessnessLossofinterestinactivitiesorhobbiesoncepleasurable,includingsexFatigueanddecreasedenergyDifficultyconcentrating,rememberingdetailsandmakingdecisionsInsomnia,early–morningwakefulness,orexcessivesleepingOvereating,orappetitelossThoughtsofsuicide,suicideattemptsPersistentachesorpains,headaches,crampsordigestiveproblemsthatdonoteaseevenwithtreatmentAllofthesesymptomscaninterferewithyourqualityoflife.Evenifyoudon’thavemajordepression,ifyouhaveexperienceafewofthesesymptomsforatleasttwoweeksyoumayhavelesssevereformofdepressionthatstillrequirestreatment.thesymptomsofslightandmajordepressionDepressionisamedicalconditioninwhichapersonfeelsverysadandanxiousandoftenhasphysicalsymptoms.Slightdepressioncouldbeaportionofmajordepression,sothecriteriaforthisdiseaseareimportanttoconsiderandexamineforpeoplewiththeproblem.Ifthedepressionisonlyminor,itwillnothaveallofthecom