Major Depressive Disorder

1. Major Depressive Disorder Brendan Foley Haley Smith

2. What is Major Depressive Disorder? • Major depressive disorder, also known as depression, is a serious medical condition that can impact the way you feel and act towards others. • Many people with depression feel that life is no longer worth living. They may feel hopeless, like there's "no way out."

3. What is Major Depressive Disorder? • It is a mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, two or more weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities

4. Etiology • Alcohol and drug abuse • Life events or situations: failing a class, illness or death in the family, childhood events (such as abuse or neglect), social isolation • Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), medications (sedatives and high blood pressure medicines), cancer, major illness, or prolonged pain • Sleeping problems

5. Symptoms • Agitation, restlessness, and irritability • Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss • Extreme difficulty concentrating • Fatigue and lack of energy • Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness • Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt • Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed • Thoughts of death or suicide • Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping

6. Diagnosis • Major depression is when a person has five or more symptoms of depression for at least 2 weeks. • These symptoms include feeling sad, hopeless, worthless, or pessimistic. • In addition, people with major depression often have behavior changes, such as new eating and sleeping patterns.

7. Treatments • Depression can be treated in a variety of ways, particularly with medications and counseling. Most people benefit from a combination of the two treatments. • Some studies have shown that antidepressant drug therapy combined with psychotherapy has better results than either therapy alone. • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment that causes a seizure by means of an electrical current. ECT may improve the mood of severely depressed or suicidal people who don't respond to other treatments

8. Treatments • It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle: • Avoid alcohol and drugs (which make depression worse and may interfere with medications) • Eat well-balanced meals • Get regular exercise and sleep • Seek supportive relationships

9. Complications • Suicide (up to 15% of people with major depressive disorder die by suicide) • Increased risk of alcohol- and drug-related problems • Increased risk of tobacco dependence • Increased risk of problems with physical health and premature death due to medical illness

10. Prevention • You may be able to avoid some episodes of depression by: • Avoiding alcohol, drugs, and caffeine • Exercising regularly • Learning how to relax and manage stress • Maintaining good sleep habits • Counseling may help you through times of grief, stress, or low mood. Family therapy may be particularly important for teens who feel blue. • Medications and psychiatric counseling may prevent depression from returning. Some episodes of depression are not preventable.

11. Famous People with Major Depressive Disorder • Terry Bradshaw - former Pittsburgh Steelers star quarterback, has spoken publicly about his depression as well as encouraged others who suffer from depression to seek help • F. Scott Fitzgerald - an important author in American history, battled depression and alcoholism • Abraham Lincoln - 16th President of the United States and the one who issued a proclamation allowing my state to secede from Virginia, suffered from depression and “breakdowns

12. What does Major Depressive Disorder feel like? • The difference between a blue mood after bad news and a mood disorder is like the difference between gasping for breath for a few minutes after a hard run and being chronically short of breath. • To sense what major depression feels like, imagine combining the anguish of grief with the sluggishness of jetlag.

13. Works Cited Major depression. (n.d.). Retrieved Novemberr 17, 2010, from Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov Major depression. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2010, from Google Health: https://health.google.com Myers, D. G. (2007). Psychology. Holland: Worth Publishers. Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder, Third Edition. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2010, from Psychiatry Online: http://www.psychiatryonline.com Sparks, A. (2008, June 9). Celebrities and Depression. Retrieved November 17, 2010, from Bliss Tree: http://www.blisstree.com