Depression is a mood disorder that causes a feeling of persistent sadness and loss of interest in the things one previously enjoyed. It may affect how an individual feels, thinks, and behaves.
Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. When recurrent and with moderate or severe intensity, depression may become a serious health condition.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 280 million people worldwide have depression.
There are interrelationships between depression and physical health. For example, cardiovascular disease can lead to depression and vice versa.
Triggers of Depression may vary from individual to individual, and they include;
1) Some individuals find it hard to come out of an upsetting, traumatizing or stressful life event, such as losing a loved one, a job, or a breakup with a romantic partner. If care is not taken, this may result in chronic depression.
2) One may also be at risk of depression if they suffer from a terminal illness such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as HIV/AIDS, or a life-threatening illness like cancer.
3) When life gets tough, some individuals try to cope with their current state by engaging in drug and substance abuse to drown their sorrows. What they have in mind is that they will relax and forget their problems forgetting that this can lead to a spiral of depression.
4) Women are very vulnerable to depression before, after, and even during pregnancy. This is due to the physical and hormonal changes in their bodies.
5) One also becomes vulnerable to depression if they have low self-esteem, which may result from past experiences or the treatment by the people around them. They may constantly get stigmatized, and a lack of an outlet may drag them to depression.
Depression has a range of physical and psychological symptoms, which may include;
1) One may become moody and unexcited
2) Loss of interest and pleasure in hobbies and general activities may also signify depression.
3) Sleeping patterns might reveal depression. Some people may experience difficulty sleeping, while some may start oversleeping.
4) Some people may experience difficulty concentrating and making decisions
5) One may also experience an excessive feeling of guilt or worthlessness, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.
Depression is said to have no cure; however, effective measures can be put in place to either prevent one from falling into depression or coming out of it.
Here are a few ways of preventing depression;
1) Now that low self-esteem can contribute to depression, one can try working on improving their self-esteem, and learning how to manage stress may prevent them from falling into depression or can help them get out of depression.
2) Loneliness can drag one into depression. To save yourself from falling into depression, engage yourself in what you enjoy, get enough sleep and eat a well-balanced diet.
3) When you feel depressed, reach out to the closest person you have. One that empathizes with your current situation. Letting out what you feel reduces how it makes you feel.
4) If you feel the situation is getting out of hand, it is good to seek help from a psychologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist.
In as much as one may not know when and how they will fall into depression, it is a good idea, by all means, to try and prevent themselves from being victims. This can be highly achieved when one decides only to get bothered with what they can change or what they have control over.
