Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting millions of people around the world. It can be defined as an intense feeling of sadness, loneliness, and despair that lasts for weeks or months. It is more than just feeling sad – depression can interfere with your ability to function in everyday life.
What is depression
Depression is a mental health disorder that currently affects about 350 million people worldwide. It has existed since ancient times, but only in recent years has it been more widely recognized as a serious medical problem requiring treatment. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness that can interfere with daily activities. People suffering from depression may also experience physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches or abdominal pain.
What is the cause of depression
The occurrence of depression is most often caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Such factors will be: family history, stressful life events, death of a loved one, job loss, financial problems. Other risk factors include genetics and chemical imbalances in the brain, which can result from injuries or disorders associated with substance abuse – alcohol, drugs.
Depression has been known for centuries
The first known statements about depression date back to ancient times, with references in texts from Greece and Rome. However, it was not until 1760 that the British physician William Battie published a formal report on depression in his book “Treatise on Madness”. In this work, he described melancholy as a disease characterized by persistent sadness or despair and outlined various ways to treat it, including bloodletting and cleansing.
Since then, there have been many reports of depression throughout history. They often contained irregularities, misunderstandings. Patients were often misdiagnosed due to a lack of adequate knowledge about the depressive state. In Victorian England, for example, many cases were attributed to sinfulness or moral weakness. Cases of depression were not seen as a medical problem requiring pharmacological treatment or psychotherapy – as it is done today.
Treatment of depression
Treatment for depression typically involves medications called antidepressants along with psychotherapy sessions that focus on identifying negative thought patterns and behaviors in order to replace them with healthier ones (cognitive behavioral therapy).
The best results, however, occur when modifying the lifestyle to a healthier and filled with activities. Regular exercise helps reduce the symptoms associated with depression. Nothing motivates like change, so a new environment, new surroundings, new friends can improve your condition. It is also useful to spend time in nature and within the reach of intense sunlight.