Causes & Cures for Depression

The term "depression" encompasses a variety of disorders that cause problems for people in everyday life. From major depression to post-partum depression, the different forms are caused by different factors, and the cures, or treatments, vary as well.

Forms

• Major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder and post-partum depression are the four primary forms of depression. Patients who are irritable, sad, unable to sleep, eat and work for two weeks or more may be diagnosed with major depression. Dysthymia is a less severe form of this type of depression, though it lasts longer and causes sufferers to feel they cannot perform their usual daily activities to their full extent. Bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive disorder, consists of cycles of highs (mania) and lows (depression). Post-partum depression (PPD) only arises in women who have just given birth. PPD can involve mood swings, crying spells, sadness, anger, loneliness and anxiety. The more severe form of PPD is post-partum psychosis and involves losing track of reality, having hallucinations, strange behaviors and suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

Causes

• There is no single cause for any of the forms of depression. There is, however, a possibility that any type is genetic, biochemical, environmental or psychosocial. Bipolar disorder, for instance, has been found to run in families. Major depression and dysthymia may develop after a traumatic experience, or the loss of a loved one; they may also arise from chemical imbalances in the brain. For an unknown reason, women are twice as likely to develop depression in the span of their lives.

Cures

• Depending on the form of depression, there are various ways to treat the ailment. For most people who experience depressive symptoms (i.e. constant sadness, irritability, hopelessness, insomnia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, weight change, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in usual activities, etc.), psychotherapy is the first step to a cure. If talking through the patient's symptoms does not get to the root of the problem, medication is often prescribed.

  SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including Zoloft and Prozac are one group of depression medications that may lessen symptoms and allow patients to get back to their lives. SNRIs, or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, including Effexor and Cymbalta, are another class of medications that could be prescribed. NDRIs, or norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors, including Wellbutrin; MOAIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors, including Nardil and Parnate; and tricyclic antidepressants, including Vivactil and Elavil, are all alternative treatment possibilities that a psychiatrist may try to help the patient. All these medications regulate mood via the brain's neurotransmitters, which include serotonin, epinephrine and dopamine. Often, several medications must be tried before the correct drug and dosage for an individual is found.