What is depression? Depression is a medical term meaning an abnormal emotional state charaterized by exaggerated feelings of sadness, worthlessness, emptiness, and hopelessness that are out of porportion to reality. The difference between sad feelings and depression are hard to tell. If a person is feeling sad, knows why, and the sadness goes away after a few days they are most likely not depressed, but if a person doesn't know why they are depressed and are sad for a long time they most likely are depressed. There are two kinds of depression; "Chronic Depression" and "Major Depression." Chronic depression is when a person is more crabby and gloomy then normal and may be caused by genetics or chemicals. Major depression is when a person is depressed and it comes on suddenly or slowly and involves extreme feelings of sadness as well as low self-esteem, changes in appetite, getting mad over nothing, crying spells, changes in sleeping habits and many other things. What Causes Depression? The exact cause of depression is still not known but the three most commen factors are genetic influences, biochemical factors, and life stresses. Genetics may influence depression if a family memeber has had depression or there is a family history of it. Depression is 1.5-3 times more likely to occur in someone who has a family member who has been depressed. Biochemicals influence depression when the chemicals in the brain become out of wack. The two chemicals that most commenly trigger depression in the brain are Norepinephrine and Serotorin, when these chemicals are low in the brain depression can occur. Life stress can be anything from a death, to stress, to low self esteem, many things that have a huge impact on someone can trigger depression. Help for depressed people There are a number of treatments but the main ones are counciling and medication, other treatments include support groups, meditaion, hyponosis, natural remides, and exersize. There are many different kinds of medication under three different catagories SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) include the medications Zoloft, Prozac, Louvox, and Papal. SSRI's work by raising the levels of serotonian which is the chemical of the brain that can trigger depression. TCA's (Tricyclic Anitdepressents) are earlier depression medications that include Adapin, Endep, Norpramin, Pamelor and Sinequah. TCA's raise serotonian AND norepinephine to lower depression. MOAI's (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) include the medications Nardil and Parnate which work by stopping the destruction of both serotonian and norepinephine.
10 things YOU should know about teen depression
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