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Different Causes of Depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the two major types of depression, major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder, affect over 18 million American adults each year.

  1. Types

    • There are several types of depression: major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum depression, dysthymic disorder, and psychotic depression.

    Symptoms

    • Mayo Clinic lists several symptoms of depression, including frequent sadness, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty sleeping, and thoughts of suicide.

    Causes

    • Depression is caused by a combination of things, including genetic, environmental, psychological, and biochemical factors. For example, environmental factors that may contribute to depression are the death of a loved one or extreme stress.

    Diagnosis

    • A doctor will evaluate you according to the guidelines listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to confirm if you have depression.

    Treatment

    • If you are diagnosed with depression, your doctor may try to treat with it antidepressants. He may also recommend that you seek counseling and in severe cases may try electroconvulsive therapy to relieve depression symptoms.

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