Depression

**Depression**
=What is Depression?= The term depression is used to describe an emotion or a mood state. Everyone has moments of feeling down or sad. People with severe depression are suffering from a serious illness. This illness affects not only their mood, but also a range of other normal bodily functions. Depression can influence the way a person eats and sleeps, but most of all the condition impacts on the way individuals feel about themselves. Depression is not a phase, a passing mood or a state of mind that people imagine or cause themselves, but a mental illness. People with severe depression often feel sad, helpless, hopeless, and irritable and cannot snap out of these feelings. Depression can be devastating to a person's everyday life, including family relationships, friendships and the ability to work or go to school. There are several types of clinical depression. Every one of these types has distinct characteristics. They include: major or severe depression, dysthymia, double depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). =How antidepressants work= When certain chemicals in the brain (such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) are out of balance, depression can occur. Antidepressants improve the symptoms of depression by bringing these chemicals back into balance. Because different types of antidepressants are designed to work differently, side effects associated with each type of depression medication can vary. Some of the major types of antidepressants are discussed below:
 * NDRIs** (Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors) are a type of antidepressant that increases the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine by blocking their "reuptake" in the brain. Buproprion is the only antidepressant within this class of drugs approved by the FDA. Side effects may include weight loss, loss of appetite, and dry mouth.
 * SSRIs** (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are a widely used type of antidepressant. SSRIs increase serotonin in the brain by blocking "serotonin reuptake" in the brain. These types of antidepressants can cause sexual side effects (see Common Side Effects of Antidepressants).
 * SNRIs** (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) work in much the same way as an SSRI. SNRIs block the "reuptake" of both serotonin and norepinephrine. SNRIs may also cause side effects similar to SSRIs (see Common Side Effects of Antidepressants).

=Cause of depression=

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Depression is thought to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals called neurotransmitter that send messages between nerve cells in your brain. Some of these chemicals, such as serotonin, help regulate mood. If these mood-influencing chemicals get out of balance, depression or other mood disorders can result. ====== There are several factors known to increase the chances that teens may become depressed.
 * Depression runs in families.Teens who have a parent with depression are 3 times more likely to develop depression than children with parents who are not depressed.
 * Depression in teens may be linked to stress, social problems, and unresolved family conflict. It can also be linked to traumatic events, such as violence, abuse, or neglect.
 * Teens who have long-term or serious medical conditions, learning problems, or behavior problems are more likely to develop depression.
 * Some teens can start depression, because of steroids or narcotics for pain relief. As soon as the medicine is stopped, symptoms usually disappear.

=Symptoms of Depression = > * fidgeting, > * inability to sleep, > * waking early, > * waking up frequently without being able to go back to sleep, > * sleeping too much; > * headaches > * muscle aches, > * stomach aches. =Possible Side effects of Depression=
 * sad mood;
 * feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness;
 * low self-esteem;
 * inappropriate feelings of guilt;
 * repeated thoughts of death or suicide;
 * loss of interest or pleasure in activities;
 * finding it difficult to think things through or concentrate;
 * agitation;
 * loss of energy, fatigue, doing things more slowly;
 * change in appetite, significant weight loss or weight gain;
 * change in sleeping patterns
 * physical symptoms, including:


 * dry mouth,
 * blurred vision,
 * constipation,
 * difficulty urinating,
 * worsening of glaucoma,
 * injured thinking,
 * tiredness.