Research Paper On Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, with a 12-month prevalence of 6.7% of adults in the United States (NIMH). There is no definite etiology of depression, but several risk factors have been identified. Functional and structural changes in the brain have also been explored. The most common treatment for depression is the use of drugs that act on monoamine transmitters, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Decreases in these transmitters, especially serotonin, were hypothesized to play an important role in the cause of depression (Breedlove & Watson, 2013). The serotonin hypothesis led to the development of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase the amount of serotonin in the brain. Further research suggests that the serotonin hypothesis is not entirely accurate and the neurobiology of depression is much more complex. The “chemical imbalance” explanation of depression may not reflect the full range of causes and may be given greater credibility by patients and doctors than is supported by evidence based research.

6.9%, or about 16 million people, live with clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder. Symptoms of clinical depression include: feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness; angry or irritable outbursts, often over trivial matters; changes in appetite, sleep habits, or weight; trouble concentrating, thinking and recalling information; loss of interest in normal activities

Major depressive disorder is a condition when a person experiences two or more weeks of depressed mood or lack of interest in things that usually gave them pleasure not due to any drugs or other medical condition. For this condition to be present a person must show at least five signs of depression (classified as: depressed mood most of the day; diminished interest in activities; significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting; insomnia or too much sleep; lethargy; fatigue; feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; difficulty concentrating or thinking; and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide). Bipolar disorder on the other hand is when an individual alternates between hopelessness and an overexcited state of mania. Mood disorders run in families. Women are at twice the risk of having depression and today we find that depression is widespread. Although the majority of depressive episodes end on their own they are usually induced by a stressful event. The risk of suicide or self-injury is higher in individuals who are

Depression is a clinical condition associated with the normal emotions of bereavement and sadness. However, this condition does not pass on when the external causes of these emotions dissolve and is usually inconsistent to their cause. In essence, the classic severe conditions of depression have not been attributed to external precipitating cause. One of the most common conditions of depression is Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), which is a psychiatric condition that impairs moods, behavioral patterns, and thoughts for a protracted duration. This psychiatric illness tends to impair the patient’s social functioning and quality of life due to its impacts on cognitive functioning. Some of the most common symptoms of the condition include difficulty in concentration, weight change, minimal interest in pleasure, high rate of suicide, and physical impairment. The severity of this disease was evident in the year 2000 when the World Health Organization ranked it as the fourth cause of disability and premature death across the globe.

Major Depressive Disorder, also known as "Clinical Depression" is a psychological disorder that targets emotions of sadness and melancholy. Major depression affects an individual's ability to perform well at their job and at school. It may also affect the person's sleeping habits and eating habits (Belmaker and Agam Ph. D, 2008). For their eating habits, there have been records of MDD linked to anorexia and bulimia in adults ranging between 20%-80% in a lifetime (Fernandez-Aranda, 2007). MDD has also been correlated to patients experiencing sleep disorders, with different types of Insomnia,, such as "sleep onset Insomnia" and "sleep maintenance Insomnia" (National Sleep Foundation, 2005). Depression has been linked to substantial problems to

Major depression is a mood disorder with many biological and psychological explanations. Mood disorders are kind of self-explanatory. They are different disorders that effect your mood either through your behavior or your mental state. Some of the facts stated about psychological features and biological features of major depression overlap, but there are also major differences as well. Different articles, such as the Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing’s “What Causes Depression?,” go into the different biological and environmental factors that contribute to this disease. In addition to this, the Intro to Applied Psychology: Lecture Four—Mood Disorders: Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Suicide, play a large factor in the facts

As a disorder that is predicted to affect 9.5% of the US adult population in any given year, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental illness that can last for long periods of time if left untreated (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The symptoms associated with MDD vary from person to person, but the most common include a depressed mood, lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, irritability or guilt, fatigue, lack of interest in hobbies and activities that used to be pleasurable, weight fluctuations, suicidal thoughts, and having trouble focusing and making decisions (National Institute of Mental Health).

“It’s more than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply ‘snap out of it’” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). One of the most common mental disorders in the United States is Major Depression. It typically ends up with significant impairments that can interfere with one’s daily activities (“Major Depression” 1). Depression is a mental disorder that drastically can change the affected person’s outlook on life and how they handle the world around them. Depression rates have consistently increased worldwide, but, luckily, there are methods to help with the symptoms. This disorder has been made more well known over the years, leading to an increase in preventative measures.The following paper will discuss the rising rates,

Major depression is defined as a severe depression that comes on suddenly and seems to have no external cause, or it is too severe for current circumstances. This is a mood disorder which causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Some of the moods they may occur is boredom, inability to feel pleasure, loneliness, and emotional distress. Cognitive symptoms may be lack of concentration or thoughts of suicide, and some behavioral symptoms may consist of excessive crying or social isolation. There may also be a sleeping issue when depressed, such as excessive sleepiness or insomnia.

Major depression disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder in the United States and a leading cause of disability throughout the world. The disorder can affect anyone at any time and any age. The onset of MDD is often due to, low self-esteem and self-worth, a chemical imbalance or a stressful event in one’s life. Many people with depression usually have symptoms that are severe enough that they recognize there is a problem with doing day-to-day activities and their relationships with others. Episodes of MDD can occur during or after a pregnancy, only during the winter months or after a stressful life event. Although not all medical professionals agree on how to define the forms of depression they do agree that the patent must experience

What is major depressive disorder? Major depressive disorder is a psychiatric disorder documented in the DSM. Major depressive disorder interferes with an individual's normal functioning in everyday life and causes pain to the person with this disorder and to those close to the person. Individuals with major depressive disorder cannot just "pull themselves out" of this depression on their own and the symptoms accompanied with this disorder can last for weeks, months, and even years (Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley, 2013, p. 221-22). Recognizing the symptoms is critical because most people need treatment to get better.

Major Depression, of course, has certain criteria that have to be met in order for a diagnosis to be given, and the American Psychological Association (APA) uses a system known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in which to denote these criteria. The 4th edition of the DSM includes the following definition of disease: must have at least five of the following symptoms in a two week period that must cause clinically significant impairment in social, work, or other important areas of functioning almost every day. 1. Depressed mood most of the day, 2.

To understand major depressive disorder one must first explore the symptoms. The DSM-5 has a clear and defined criterion to assist in the diagnosing of major depressive disorder (MDD). Depression is a widespread and common place as evidenced by the estimate that 32 to 35 million US residents will develop MDD in their lifetime (DeRubeis et al., 2008). This alarming number means that millions of US residents have met at least five of the stated symptoms with in the DSM-5 for much of a two week time period. The 11 different criterion outlined in the DSM-5 are as follows; 1.depressed mood most of the day. 2) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or most daily activities. 3) Significant unintended weight loss or unusual increase in appetite. 4) Insomnia or hypersomnia. 5) Psychomotor agitation or retardation observable by others. 6) Fatigue or loss of energy. 7) Feeling of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt. 8) Difficulty maintaining

Each year the number of individuals affected by depression is growing. According to “types of depression” published by iFred.org more than 350 million people suffer from depression disorder. There are many ways to treat depression, such as SNRI’s, MAIO’s, TCA’s or with monitored usage, marijuana. The most common today are SSRI’s or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. You may have heard of some of the more common SSRI’s such as, Zoloft, Prozac, or Celexa. The use of these medicines are debated among doctors, because they have serious side effects, that can worsen or add symptoms to your illness. As we race to find a treatment, the growing risk for getting depression is a big concern for not only the American people but the world as a whole. (iFred.org)

Everyone throughout some point in his or her life as felt sad or upset. This feeling usually passes within a few days, hours or even minutes. Unfortunately, there are some people who cannot seem to shake this gloomy feeling and it continues to haunt them for an extended amount of time. The feeling of being incapable to shake this unwanted sadness in ones life could be categorized under the mental illness known as depression. This mental illness can be brought on by divorce, financial struggles, arguments or can simply just come out of the blue. It is an illness known to affect people of all different races, genders and ages. Depression can begin to disassemble a normal life, it can affect anyone but there is prevention and treatment for this