Feeling of sadness is quite a normal human emotion. It can be a natural reaction to any loss, tussles or any other major event of life. But if the thoughts of extreme misery and hopelessness interfere with normal functioning of life activities, it causes depression. The symptoms of people with depressive problems vary from person to person. The frequency and severity of the symptoms vary and depends upon his or her particular problem.

It is presumed that by 2018, major depression will become the second leading causes of illness around the world. The suicide risk in people with this depression is quite high as compared to any other psychiatric state.

Symptoms

The problem of sadness is termed depression if you exhibit simultaneously at least five of the following symptoms:

• a depressed frame of mind especially in the morning
• weariness or feeling of decreased energy almost every day
• guilty feeling
• hopeless or worthless feeling
• feelings of pessimism
• messed up concentration
• inability to make simple decisions
• sleeplessness or excessive sleeping almost every day
• extremely low interest or enjoyment in almost everything
• frequent feelings of death
• feelings of suicide
• a feeling of impatience- a state called psychomotor agitation or a feeling of sluggishness called retardation
• noteworthy weight loss or gain
• loss of interest in hobbies once enjoyed including sex
• eating excessively or appetite loss
• continual pains, headaches, contractions or digestive problems
• sad and anxious feelings
• suicide attempts

In case of major or clinical depression, the main symptom is a depressed feeling and loss of awareness. In order to diagnose depression, these symptoms must be there daily for at least 14 days. The depressive symptoms are not present because of any medication and they cannot occur as a result of any medical condition.

Depression has a risk of suicide. Anyone who talks about suicide must be taken genuinely. The warning signals of suicide are:

• talking about death or suicide
• thinking about self-harm or harm to others
• violent behavior or hastiness

Earlier suicide endeavors augment the future risk for suicide attempts. Any talk about suicide or violence must be taken seriously.

Depression Diagnosis

The doctors use different techniques to make a difference concerning the specific disorder. A doctor will decide whether a patient has major depression, chronic depression, manic depression, seasonal affective disorder or any other type of depression.

The major diagnostic tool is not any test but talking with the patient. The doctor tries to know about particular symptoms of depression. The doctor asks the patient about any mood swings, behavior or any specific situation or life events that might trigger depression.

The doctor also performs a physical examination to check the patient's complete health.
Diagnosing depression is a difficult task as depression can exist in many different forms. For example, certain people with this problem do not respond properly to doctor’s query while others may turn aggressive.

Visible symptoms of depression might be minimum and the person still might experience extreme internal confusion.

Treatment

After the diagnosis, your doctor will talk about the various treatment options. Some patients with depression are recommended antidepressants. Some other are prescribed antidepressants along with psychotherapy. Some are advised electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) which is called electroshock therapy. This is for people who do not react to standard depression treatment options
There is no instant solution for depression. You might need to try different antidepressants before finding the most effective one.

Depression medicines comprise different types of antidepressants as well as mood stabilizers. They can aid to elevate the mood and relieve the feeling of hopelessness.

There are three chemical messengers that can cause depression - norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters. They are used to communicate via electrical signals and imbalance between these chemicals lead to a state of depression. The antidepressants work to balance these chemicals. The main types of antidepressants are:

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). TCAs chiefly influence two chemical messengers in the brain, norepinephrine and serotonin. These drugs are quite effective but they have side effects.
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): MAOIs are useful for people with depression that do not react to other treatments. They can treat other mental problems. These medicines can react with certain foods like cheese, certain beverages, and drugs so people on these medications should keep precise dietary limitations.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are a relatively new and they work by changing the amount of a chemical in the brain called serotonin.
  If the patients exhibit some other disorder along with depression, medications like stimulants and anti-anxiety medications are prescribed.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy plays an important role in treating depression. It guides the person to develop suitable and feasible coping approach. These help in dealing with daily stress factors and increase the coping skills. There are various kinds of psychotherapy, comprising individual, family, and group therapy.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is needed in case of severe depression. In this treatment, the doctor directs a small electric current via the scalp to the brain. ECT can treat many types of depression.

Alternative therapy

Alternative therapy includes a lot of approaches. They embrace everything from diet, exercise, mental guidance and lifestyle changes. The alternative therapies include acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, chiropractic treatments, herbal remedies, hypnosis, massage therapy, meditation, relaxation and yoga.

Physical Changes

Some brain chemicals or neurotransmitters particularly serotonin and norepinephrine has an impact on pain so these patients exhibit certain physical symptoms. The symptoms are joint pain, chest pain, gastrointestinal troubles, strange sleeping patterns and change in appetite. The patient will speak slowly and exhibit physical retardation.