Major Depressive Major Depressive DisorderDisorder

OverviewOverview

Major depressive disorder is more Major depressive disorder is more commonly known as just depressioncommonly known as just depression

Women are two times more likely to Women are two times more likely to be afflicted by major depressive be afflicted by major depressive disorder than men aredisorder than men are

Causes widely vary from Causes widely vary from psychological to physiological to psychological to physiological to biologicalbiological

SymptomsSymptoms

A person suffering from major A person suffering from major depressive disorder generally depressive disorder generally exhibits various symptoms such as:exhibits various symptoms such as:

Low mood Low mood An inability to experience happinessAn inability to experience happiness Preoccupation with feelings of Preoccupation with feelings of

worthlessnessworthlessness In severe cases, psychosisIn severe cases, psychosis

DiagnosisDiagnosis

Most cases of major depressive Most cases of major depressive disorder are diagnosed through:disorder are diagnosed through:

the patient’s self-reported the patient’s self-reported experiences, experiences,

behavior reported by people close to behavior reported by people close to the patient, the patient,

and a mental examinationand a mental examination

Biological CausesBiological Causes

Decreased serotonin levelsDecreased serotonin levels Decreased serotonin levels caused Decreased serotonin levels caused

levels of norepinephrine to droplevels of norepinephrine to drop To counteract this, various To counteract this, various

medications attempt to increase the medications attempt to increase the amount of neurotransmittersamount of neurotransmitters

Psychological CausesPsychological Causes

One major factor is personalityOne major factor is personality The development of personality and The development of personality and

the personality itself are integral the personality itself are integral components to determining whether components to determining whether an individual suffers from depressionan individual suffers from depression

Social CausesSocial Causes

Social isolation may cause major Social isolation may cause major depressive disorderdepressive disorder

Another noted cause is povertyAnother noted cause is poverty Abuse also increase the likelihood of Abuse also increase the likelihood of

depressiondepression Social support and stressful life Social support and stressful life

events are two other notable factorsevents are two other notable factors

TreatmentTreatment

The most common form of treatment The most common form of treatment is medicationis medication

Various prescription medications Various prescription medications exist for the purpose of treating exist for the purpose of treating depression, including Prozac and depression, including Prozac and ZoloftZoloft

Therapy is also effectiveTherapy is also effective

PrognosisPrognosis

Most depressive episodes will Most depressive episodes will eventually end over a period of timeeventually end over a period of time

Episodes can range from weeks to Episodes can range from weeks to yearsyears

After an episode ends, there is a After an episode ends, there is a chance that a patient will experience chance that a patient will experience another depressive episodeanother depressive episode

HistoryHistory In ancient times, renowned Greek In ancient times, renowned Greek

physician Hippocrates determined that physician Hippocrates determined that people were affected by a disease of people were affected by a disease of melancholiamelancholia

Freud too identified this disease of Freud too identified this disease of melancholia, which today is known as melancholia, which today is known as clinical depressionclinical depression

After Freud, various psychologists After Freud, various psychologists theorized that depression was caused by an theorized that depression was caused by an imbalance of neurotransmittersimbalance of neurotransmitters

Now, there is a wide variety of definitions Now, there is a wide variety of definitions for depression, although the most accepted for depression, although the most accepted definition appears in the DSMdefinition appears in the DSM

Famous People Who Famous People Who Suffered from DepressionSuffered from Depression

Abraham Lincoln was noted to have Abraham Lincoln was noted to have suffered from “melancholia”suffered from “melancholia”

Famed psychologists William James Famed psychologists William James and John Watson are said to have and John Watson are said to have suffered from depressionsuffered from depression

Sir Winston Churchill, who also Sir Winston Churchill, who also suffered from depression, suffered from depression, popularized the term “black dog” in popularized the term “black dog” in reference to depressionreference to depression

BibliographyBibliography

Psychology, 8Psychology, 8thth Edition Edition by David by David MyersMyers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depressive_disorder Major_depressive_disorder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood) Depression_(mood)