DEPRESSION

What it is and how it Affects the brain.

By Hannah Adams

What is Depression?

“Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure,

feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. These

problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairments in an individual's ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. At its worst,

depression can lead to suicide, a tragic fatality associated with the loss of about 850 000 lives every year.”

- The World Health Organization 1

What depression looks like:

• Feeling worthless• Constantly thinking negative• Distant from others• Ignoring friends phone calls or canceling

plans to be alone• Forcing yourself to sleep or lack of sleep• Crying• Sad • Feeling alone

Depressed vs. Normal Brain

•Normal brain has regular sized Hippocampus while the depressed brain has shrinkage in size of the hippocampus.•Depressed brain has an abnormal number of neurotransmitters.

Main Causes Of Depression:

•Death or a loss•Abuse•Certain Medications•Conflict•Genetics•Major events•Other personal problems•Serious illnesses•Substance abuse•Being around someone else that is depressed.

Best Ways to Cure Depression:

• Learn as much as you can about your depression.• Keep trying to overcome it. It’s not going away

overnight .• Seek therapy.• Don’t ever rely on medications alone.• Talk to friends and family your closest to.

Interesting Facts About Depression:

• Depression is common, affecting about 121 million people world wide.

• Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide.

• Can be reliably diagnosed and treated in primary care.

• Fewer than 25% of those affected have access to affective treatments.

The World Health Organization 1

Interesting Facts Continued:

• Depressed people suffer the most in the early morning, which is also the common time for suicide.

• Taking the decisive action can help bring about change and restore emotional balance, but one of the symptoms of depression is lethargy, which severely dampens the ability to take such action. (Pg 233 of BRAIN: The Complete Mind) 2

Having At Least One Major Depressive Episode in Past Year among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by State: Percentages, Annual Averages Based on 2004 and 2005 NSDUH *

Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004 and 2005.

States Rates of Depression

Ever Feel Depressed?• Do you wonder if you are depressed?• A good way to find out is by talking to a shrink or if that is

not an option you are willing to take, pause this power point and take the depression test below. When you are done with the test, come back to watch the rest of the power point. Take a depression test [e.g., http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/MH00103_D

• If you are depressed or know someone that is, and feel that you/ they need help, or any thoughts of suicide, contact your doctor or make a phone call to the depression helpline for Seattle WA (425)-453-HELP. Depression can be treated.

Alcohol & Depression:

•Alcohol can make you feel less stressed, after it wears off, people most often feel worse.•Drinking alcohol while medicated for depression, is very dangerous•Alcohol is a depressant and can make depression worse Copyright 2011-2012 Addicted-ToSobriety.com

Depression & Suicide:• Depression carries a high risk of suicide• Suicide is a potentially preventable public health

problem. In 2006, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.

• In the same year, there were more than 33,000 suicides -- about 91 per day. Men take their lives nearly four times the rate of women and account for 79% of all suicides in the U.S.

©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Depression and Suicide Continued:

If you or someone you love has clinical depression, it's important to recognize the warning signs of suicide.

Signs of depression: - Feeling hopeless and helpless

- Loss of interest in normal day to day activities- Loss of feelings of joy and pleasure

- Weight loss or weight gain. Change in appetite- Difficulty sleeping or excessive sleeping

- Irritable, restless, low tolerance, agitated or on edge- Fatigue, feeling incapable of doing even simple things

- Feeling worthless- very critical of self

- difficulty concentrating- difficulty making decisions

- forgetfulness- headaches, stomach pain, back pain, painful muscles

Copyright 2011-2012 Addicted-ToSobriety.com

Stressor

Hypothalamus Pituitary Gland

Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous

System

Release of Catecholamines from

Adrenal Glands

Stress Release No Stress Release

Body Relaxation Decrease in Health & Performance

Stress perceived by the individual

Increase in:•Heart Rate•Blood Pressure•Blood Glucose•Blood Flow to Active Muscles and Brain•Oxygen Uptake•Strength•General Awareness

Bibliography1The World Health Organization provides information about health in the United Nations

system. It also keeps up to date with health issues and diseases for best accuracy. Is a wonderful site for information to most health related topics and provides many facts about the topic depression. On the website below, I found information about what depression is and other facts about depression on slides; 1, directed by Dr. Margaret Chan since Nov 9 2006 who was known for defeating (SARS) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hong Kong, 2003.

http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/definition/en/ The depression test on slide 10 was found on the website below. How did I find this website?

I remembered how Christine Moon (our teacher) has tests for us to do that are very interesting. So I typed depression tests into Google and this was the one that I found most accurate.

http://depression.about.com/cs/diagnosis/l/bldepscreenquiz.htm Map on slide nine.http://www.nmha.org/go/state-ranking 2 Slide eight, the second bullet was a fact from the textbook called BRAIN The Complete Mind,

this textbook was written by Michael S. Sweeney. It is packed full with diagrams, pictures, studies, fast facts and information on everything there is to know about the brain. How we think, remember, sense, move, feel, how the brain develops, how it functions and so much more. Great source for any topic about the brain.

Bibliography Continued• Compact Research-Mood disorders By Carla Mooney- Compact Research is

a series that organizes and collects information on Current Issues, Drugs, Energy and the Environment, and Mood disorders. This was an excellent book filled with objective overviews, primary source quotes, illustrated facts and statistics.

• The Ultimate Prescription by Dr. James L. Marcum, MD. – Strips back what makes us sick and how to help cure the sickness but not by some powerful drug or expensive procedure. Explains ways to make healthy lifestyle changes at home, work, and at the grocery store.

• Depression, by Wendy Morange- This book has stories of different people and how depression entered their lives in different situations. Includes information about the symptoms and signs of depression. How depression leads to other problems, helping people realize that depression effects everyone at some time either in a small or big way, and can be cured.

Bibliography Continued• Stress Relief For Life, is written my Mike Ronsisvalle, PsyD. TV host of Dr.

Mike: Changing Your Reality and seen on TBN’s Doctor to Doctor. This book he wrote is mainly about stress and how it can take over your life. Teaches how chronic stress dramatically effects our physical health, mental health and our relationships. He gives strategies and a 21 day program that will help any stressful position.

• The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook For Depression- A step by step program By, William J. Knaus, ED.D. and Albert Ellis, PH.D. This Is more than just another book about depression, It teaches about depression, what it is, how to notice it, how to work with it and so much more. It includes charts for the owner of the book to fill in to help keep track of what they are doing to help overcome depression and if those steps are working, also teaches how to use cognitive behavioral therapy by doing step by step programs.