Depression

At Advocate Health Care, we value psychological health just as much as physical health. That’s why we believe everyone should be able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures – but when you’re struggling with depression, accomplishing the simple tasks of life can be difficult.

It is normal to feel sad or down every once in a while. However, depression is more than a temporary sadness – it’s a serious mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of overall sadness and a loss of interest in activities. Depression can remain for weeks to years and can make going about your day-to-day routine a challenge.

It is common to experience overwhelming feelings of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness when you have depression. It is estimated that over 16% of adults in the U.S. will experience some form of depression at one point in their life, making depression one of the most common mental health disorders. Additionally, about 20% of people are affected by depression on a yearly basis. If you’ve been affected by depression, our expert Advocate behavioral health care team is here to help you find the best treatment.

Depression symptoms

The signs and symptoms of depression may be different from person to person, and they may change over time. Common clinical depression symptoms include:

• Continuous feelings of sadness, anxiety or emptiness
• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling restless or irritable
• Feeling worthless, helpless or guilty
• Losing motivation
• Losing interest in activities and hobbies
• Losing interest in sex
• Feeling fatigued
• Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or oversleeping
• Trouble with memory, concentration or decision-making
• Eating more or less than usual
• Gaining or losing weight
• Headaches
• Stomach issues
• Feeling aches or pains in muscles and joints
• Suicide attempts or thoughts of suicide and death

Depression types

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression, arises during certain months. Because of the shorter days and lack of sun exposure, winter is the typical time of year people experience SAD.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

The most common type of depression, major depressive disorder, is a mood disorder associated with most of the common symptoms of depression listed above. People with MDD experience these symptoms most days of the week as well as at least one of the following symptoms:

• Having a depressed mood
• Losing interest in hobbies or activities

Perinatal and postpartum depression

Perinatal depression is a mood disorder that affects women during pregnancy or up to a year after childbirth. Not to be confused with the “baby blues,” postpartum depression is typically longer lasting and comes about in the weeks or months after a mother gives birth. Postpartum depression symptoms are more severe and can sometimes make it challenging to care for your baby or accomplish everyday tasks.

Bipolar depression

Bipolar depression is a mental health condition caused by bipolar disorder. It’s characterized by extreme mood swings from high-energy manic episodes to major depressive episodes. Someone experiencing a manic episode may demonstrate an elevated mood like feeling happy or irritable as well as higher activity levels. On the opposite end, major depressive episodes may include feeling sad, helpless or having an overall low energy level.

Persistent depressive disorder

Persistent depressive disorder, also called dysthymia, is a chronic type of depression that causes symptoms that last for two years or longer. It is typically characterized by low productivity, feelings of low self-esteem and a loss of interest in normal day-to-day activities.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a more severe version of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Symptoms arise about one or two weeks prior to the beginning of menstruation and usually subside after your period starts. People with PMDD can experience symptoms including:

• Having mood swings
• Feeling angry or irritable
• Having trouble concentrating
• Feeling low energy
• Having an increased appetite
• Having trouble sleeping

Depression causes and risk factors

The causes and risk factors for depression can include genetics, personal experiences and environmental factors. The risk of depression increases if you have:

• Family health history of depression or other mental health disorders
• Serious medical conditions or illness that causes chronic physical pain
• Experienced abuse, stress or a traumatic event(s)

It is typical for someone with depression to develop it during adulthood; however, it can occur at any age. Although women have a higher risk of experiencing depression than men, they’re also more likely to seek treatment. The risk of being diagnosed with depression based on genetics increases by 40% for people with first-degree relatives (parents, siblings and children) who also have depression.

Diagnosing depression

Although most medical conditions are diagnosed through blood or lab tests, these diagnosing methods are not as helpful when it comes to diagnosing depression. The process of diagnosing depression can happen in a variety of ways.

Medical review

During medical review, your doctor will gather information on you and your family’s medical history. Your doctor may also conduct a physical examination to ensure there aren't any physical problems causing your depression symptoms.

Hypothyroidism, a condition caused by an underactive thyroid gland, is a physical condition commonly connected to signs and symptoms of depression.

Symptom review

During symptom review, your doctor will get a better understanding of your signs and symptoms through talking with you and by having you complete a medical questionnaire. The questionnaire may ask you to report things like your sleeping habits, day-to-day mood and interest in activities. The questions asked during this depression screening can give your doctor a better idea of how to diagnose you and find the best treatment options for your depression symptoms.

Treatment and services for depression

Although there is no cure for depression, there are ways to treat and reduce symptoms. Treatment typically includes a combination of depression medication, also known as antidepressants, and therapy.

Without the proper treatment, you can increase your chances of getting involved in risky behaviors such as drugs and alcohol. You also increase your risk of self-harm and of developing dementia.

Medication

It’s common for people with depression to try different medications before finding the one that works best for them.

• When it comes to treating depression with medication, your doctor will review your family medical history to see if any of your family members had success in treating symptoms of depression with a particular antidepressant. If so, your doctor may recommend putting you on the same depression medication.
• If you’re thinking about stopping your antidepressants, talk to your doctor first. Abruptly stopping depression medication can have adverse effects such as withdrawal symptoms and possibly causing your depression symptoms to worsen.

Cognitive psychotherapy

Also called behavioral therapy, this is a psychological treatment for various mental health disorders. It aims to change thinking or behavioral patterns that may be creating problems.

Lifestyle changes

Changing the way you live can also improve symptoms associated with depression. These changes include getting enough quality sleep, doing regular exercise and spending time with loved ones.