Depression

Depression will affect up to 20% of us at any one time. It is a disease characterised by inappropriate feelings of sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness, with sensations of guilt and foreboding. There is associated fatigue. Appetite changes, sleep is disturbed, and there is disordered perception of surrounding life events, with marked pessimism and paranoia. There are often suicidal thoughts.

In patients with true depressive illness (rather than those of us suffering the sadness which naturally follows an event such as bereavement) there are a number of blood tests which are abnormal, indicating that the cause of the illness lies in a disturbance in the levels of some chemical transmitters in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. There are effective treatments, which may need to be continued for many months.

It used to be thought that treatment was dependant on whether the illness arrived out of the blue, or whether it was precipitated by life events, but it is now recognised that depression is depression wherever it arises. It's just that some treatments suit some people better than others, so different treatments may need to be tried.
 
This information is licensed for use by Wellbeing Information Systems Ltd ("WIS"), and protected by international copyright law. All rights are reserved. (email info@wisinfo.co.uk).
The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.