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Burton's Classification Of Depression

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Introduction To begin, millions of people are diagnosed with depression every year in the United States. There are a few different classifications of depression, but the most commonly diagnosed is major or clinical depression. Major depressive disorder occurs when an individual feels depressed and has a loss of interest in normal activities for at least two weeks. There are many symptoms associated with major depressive disorder, which include: fatigue, loss of energy, impaired concentration, feelings of worthlessness, insomnia and thoughts of suicide. Major depressive disorder can also cause many emotional, social and physical problems for the individual and family members, which will be outlined in this essay, in addition to possible …show more content…

Depression has been recorded in historical documents throughout time. Initially, “ depression was called “melancholia”, and the earliest scenario occurred during ancient Mesopotamian texts in the second millennium B.C” (Nemade, Reiss & Dombeck, 2007). During that period in history, people believed that all mental illnesses were due to demonic possession. Thus, only priests treated mental illness and physicals treated physical injuries. The only way to treat depression during that time was through exorcisms, drowning or burning. It was not until 1621, when Robert Burton published Anatomy of Melancholy, that people began to think of depression differently. Burton believed that, “Depression was caused from social causes, such as: poverty, fear and solitude” (Nemade, Reiss & Dombeck, 2007). He also believed that treatment should include: improved diet, exercise, herbal remedies and musical therapy. Then, during the Age of Enlightenment (the 18th and 19th centuries), it was thought that depression was inherited and it caused an unchangeable weakness of character. That thinking lead people to believe that depressed individuals should be locked up and put into …show more content…

Medication is prescribed to depressed patients because it helps to correct imbalances of the neurotransmitters in the brain. Specifically, serotonin and norepinephrine are the neurotransmitters affected by depression. The most popular class of antidepressants is called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs work by changing the balance of serotonin in the brain, which allows the chemical messages to be sent that impact happiness. Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) work in a similar manor, expect they target a different neurotransmitter in the brain. The reason these two classes of antidepressants are prescribed frequently is because they have fewer side effects compared to other antidepressants. Although, there are still significant side effects when the person first begins taking the medication, which can include: headaches, jitters or insomnia (Depression, n.d.). Antidepressant’s take about four to six weeks before they have their full effect, and they need to be taken after the person feels better, in order to prevent depression from

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