Depression Is The Most Common Mental Illness

It has recently been estimated that about 1 in 6 people in the united kingdom will experience depression at some stage in their lives. The exact numbers are harder to come by as many people do not seek medical help and deal with the symptoms themselves. Depression is among the most commonly seen mental illnesses and it’s the most stigmatised as well as it can often be hard for people to comprehend what affected individuals are going through.

There a wide range of causes of depression and the exact causes will vary from case to case with some causes being far more easily identifiable than others. Some of the most prevalent reasons for depression are death or loss, serious illness as well as drug abuse. Some types of medication that are used to treat high blood pressure can cause depression and there is also a genetic factor as depression has been shown to run in families.

There is a range of signs that individuals who have depression may experience and people often have problems with one or more simultaneously. These include feelings of overwhelming sadness coupled with guilt, hopelessness and worthlessness. People suffering from depression will often lose all interest in the things that they would normally enjoy and have difficulty concentrating for any length of time. Very low energy levels along with not being able to sleep are further signs and symptoms of depression as are fluctuations in weight.

The treatment of depression can be achieved in a number of ways depending on the individual case and a combination of treatments is often the best solution. The most frequent type of treatment is anti-depressants proscribed by a doctor. These work by increasing the availability of neurotransmitters in the brain or by changing how sensitive the receptors in the brain are to chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. There is a range of alternative treatments available that have been found to help and talking treatments such as psycho-therapy have a proven track record.

Despite the fact that depression is an extremely common illness there is still a great deal of stigma attached with it. It can often be very hard for colleagues and family members to understand that depression cannot be just snapped out of. If you are suffering from depression or have an acquaintance who might be there’s plenty of help open to you and there’s no need to suffer alone.