Depression

By: Mark Fagan

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that
can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and sense of
well-being. People with a depressed mood can feel sad, anxious,
empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, ashamed or
restless. They may lose interest in activities that were once
pleasurable,
experience loss of
appetite or
overeating, have
problems
concentrating,
remembering details
or making decisions,
and may
contemplate,
attempt or commit suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue,
aches, pains, digestive problems or reduced energy may also be
present. Depressed mood is a feature of some psychiatric
syndromes such as major depressive disorder, but it may also be
a normal reaction to life events such as bereavement, a symptom
of some bodily ailments or a side effect of some drugs and
medical treatments.
Adversity in childhood, such as bereavement, neglect, mental
abuse, and unequal parental treatment of siblings can contribute
to depression in adulthood. Childhood physical or sexual abuse in
particular significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing
depression over the life course.

Life events and changes that may precipitate depressed mood

include childbirth, menopause, financial difficulties, job problems,
a medical diagnosis (cancer, HIV, etc.), bullying, loss of a loved
one, natural disasters, social isolation, relationship troubles,
jealousy, separation, and catastrophic injury. Adolescents may be
especially prone to
experiencing
depressed mood
following social
rejection.
Certain medications
are known to cause
depressed mood in a
significant number of
patients. These
include medications
for hepatitis C,
anxiety and sleep, high blood pressure, and hormonal treatments.
Several drugs of abuse can cause or exacerbate depression,
whether in intoxication, withdrawal, and from chronic use. These
include alcohol, sedatives (including prescription
benzodiazepines), opioids (including prescription pain killers and
illicit drugs like heroin), stimulants (such as cocaine and
amphetamines), hallucinogens, and inhalants. While many often
report self-medicating depression with these substances,
improvements in depression from drugs are usually short-lived
(with worsening of depression in the long-term, sometimes as
soon as the drug effects wear off) and tend to be exaggerated
(e.g., "many people report euphoria after the fact with alcohol
intoxication, even though at the time of intoxication they were
tearful and agitated").