The Mood Disorder Depression Essay -- Papers Depressive Psychiatry Ess

The Mood Disorder Depression Depression can be defined as an affective, or mood disorder characterized by mood deviations that exceed normal mood fluctuations. At its most extreme, depression can describe a psychotic state where the individual cannot function on his or her own. Everyone can go through times of feeling down for a period of time after having suffered a loss, but for people with the illness known as depression, these feelings of sadness can go on for long periods of time. In fact, about 1 in every 10 of us will be seriously depressed during sometime in our lives. As viewed by psychiatrists, depression is an illness in which a person experiences a marked change in their mood and in the way they view themselves and the world. Sometimes, depression seems to happen because of a stressful event, sometimes it seems to happen for no reason at all. Depression as a significant depressive disorder ranges from short in duration and mild to long term and very severe, even life threatening. Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as do other illnesses such as heart disease. The three most prevalent forms of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder. Depression is a sickness which involves ones body, mood and thoughts, it even affects the way you eat and sleep. Depression strikes people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnic groups. Approximately 20 million adults suffer from depression each year in the U.S. Up to 25% of all women and up to 12% of all men in the U.S. will experience an episode of major depression some time in their lives. 15% of those who suffer from depression kill themselves and succeed, and sadly many more attempt it. TYPES OF DEPRESSION ... ...d not stop taking the antidepressant medication without talking to the doctor. - Phase 3 of treatment can last another year, or longer. How long it lasts depends on the depressed person’s medical history and on the advice of the doctor or other healthcare professional. Not all people need to take their medication during Phase 3. Thus, depression the â€Å"common cold† of psychological disorders, which affects about 12 million Americans each year, is treatable but sadly many don’t get the proper treatment and so live in a world where nothing can go their way. As one person stated when asked, â€Å"What is depression like?† they replied â€Å"Its hell†¦you doubt your own worth in society and in anyone’s life, you believe no one cares, you do not care about what happens to you or the world...and you’d wish everything would slow down so you can know what to think of everything.†