Depression: Definition, Symptoms, Treatment

- as much as children.

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Contrary to what one might think, depressive illness does not only affect the patient's emotional sphere and mood, but also affects the body, influencing behavior and manifesting itself with physical symptoms.

Depression can occur in both male and female patients, however, it is estimated that the disease tends to affect the latter category most.

: it is one of the most serious forms of depression. Its symptoms prevent normal daily activities (for example, sleeping and eating), but also activities that under normal conditions give positive feelings and pleasure.

Dysthymic disorder or dysthymia: it is a disorder characterized by symptoms very similar to those of major depression, although they tend to manifest themselves in a more mild manner.

Depressive disorder not otherwise specified: this is a category in which there are disorders that cannot be classified into other types of depressive forms.

Bipolar disorders or manic-depressive disorders: these are disorders characterized by the alternation of depressive states with manic or hypomanic states. In turn, bipolar disorders are divided into:

• Bipolar I Disorder: characterized by at least one episode of mania or mixed with depressive episodes;
• Bipolar II disorder: characterized by states of hypomania (never of mania) which alternate with depressive episodes;
• Cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia: it has a minimum duration of at least two years and is characterized by the alternation of mild to moderate depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes.

All forms of depression with respective characteristics are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), now in its fifth edition (January 2021).

For further information: Types of Depression ;

Difficulty concentrating

Absence of sexual desire;

Lack of appetite

Insomnia;

Asthenia.

Depression can often be associated with anxiety and thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

For further information: Symptoms Depression it depends on various factors, such as the depressive form affecting the patient and its severity. Furthermore, the therapy that the doctor decides to implement can also be varied according to the patient's response to the same treatment.

In any case, we can say that, normally, the treatment of depression involves a combination therapy that combines a pharmacological treatment with a psychotherapeutic treatment.

The drugs used in the treatment of depression are the so-called antidepressant drugs which include the following classes:

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs);
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs);
• Norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (NSRI);
• Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NaRIs);
• Modulators of serotonergic transmission (SARI);
• Modulators of noradrenergic and serotonergic transmission (NaSSA);
• Dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (DNRIs);
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (non-selective MAOIs and selective MAO-A).