Analysis of the Spectrum of Depression Essays -- Biology Essays Resear

Analysis of the Spectrum of DepressionDepression has umteen degrees of severity from a passing feeling to a just unhealthiness, which destroys lives and relationships. Major depressive disorder is the most severe form of clinical depression. It is extreme and persistent, rendering the patient disconsolate and helpless (1). Depressed patients often cannot continue working and bring in hindrance dealing with family and friends. Other symptoms of major depression are deep despair, misery, irritability, low self-esteem, unsafe thoughts, change in eating and sleeping habits, fatigue and inability to concentrate. Other mental illnesses, such as anxiety and alcoholism are also associated with major depression (2). While serious depressive episodes are important to our sense of mental health, chronic depression is terribly widespread and often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. dysthymic depression is a disorder which has similar, but milder and a great deal longer lasting, symptoms t o depression (3). By understanding the characteristics of dysthymia, health professionals can identify a chronic mental illness before it manifests into more serious psychological problems, such as severe depression. Dysthymia is also an interesting disorder from the neurobiological perspective because it is often rough to discern from other personality disorders, such as a depressed or gloomy personality. This paper explores depression and dysthymia, their symptoms and therapies. In addition, personalities which are depressed give be analyzed and compared to depression and dysthymia. Do all triple afflictions stem from the same genetic or environmental causes, and mechanistic origins? Are they all antiphonary to the same treatment? This comparison will address the difficulty in dis... ...l and emotional signals can be influenced at several different levels in the brain, by a myriad of chemicals. The sole cause of depression seems to be the simultaneous breakdown of neurochemica l pathways across the nervous systems. It is true that treating depression in all of its forms is much easier today with the advent of new antidepressants, but these drugs are correcting a neurochemical imbalance which is not specific to depression. There may exist and someday be spy a particular mood regulation flaw which is trusty for depression, but given the research presented today, I would say there is not. Sources Cited1) Elliott, Laura. Help for Your Head, Washingtonian, April 1998, p.76 2) http//www.mentalhealth.com/p20-grp.html3) http//www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-md04.html4) http//www.epub.org.br/cm/n03/noticias/freios_i.htm Analysis of the Spectrum of Depression Essays -- Biology Essays ResearAnalysis of the Spectrum of DepressionDepression has many degrees of severity from a passing feeling to a serious illness, which destroys lives and relationships. Major depressive disorder is the most severe form of depression. It is extreme and persistent, rende ring the patient inconsolable and helpless (1). Depressed patients often cannot continue working and have difficulty dealing with family and friends. Other symptoms of major depression are deep despair, misery, irritability, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, change in eating and sleeping habits, fatigue and inability to concentrate. Other mental illnesses, such as anxiety and alcoholism are also associated with major depression (2). While serious depressive episodes are important to our understanding of mental health, chronic depression is terribly widespread and often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Dysthymia is a disorder which has similar, but milder and much longer lasting, symptoms to depression (3). By understanding the characteristics of dysthymia, health professionals can identify a chronic mental illness before it manifests into more serious psychological problems, such as severe depression. Dysthymia is also an interesting disorder from the neurobiological perspective becau se it is often difficult to discern from other personality disorders, such as a depressed or gloomy personality. This paper explores depression and dysthymia, their symptoms and therapies. In addition, personalities which are depressed will be analyzed and compared to depression and dysthymia. Do all three afflictions stem from the same genetic or environmental causes, and mechanistic origins? Are they all responsive to the same treatment? This comparison will address the difficulty in dis... ...l and emotional signals can be influenced at several different levels in the brain, by a myriad of chemicals. The sole cause of depression seems to be the simultaneous breakdown of neurochemical pathways across the nervous systems. It is true that treating depression in all of its forms is much easier today with the advent of new antidepressants, but these drugs are correcting a neurochemical imbalance which is not specific to depression. There may exist and someday be discovered a particul ar mood regulation flaw which is responsible for depression, but given the research presented today, I would say there is not. Sources Cited1) Elliott, Laura. Help for Your Head, Washingtonian, April 1998, p.76 2) http//www.mentalhealth.com/p20-grp.html3) http//www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-md04.html4) http//www.epub.org.br/cm/n03/noticias/freios_i.htm