BEH/225 September 18, 2011

Annie Hollis

I’m going to be talking about Mood Disorders this is a very common disorder in the U.S. Mood disorders are characterized by the disturbances in mood or prolonged emotional state, sometime referred to as affect. People tend to have a wide emotional state, one day they can be happy the next they can be sad. They can be cheerful or discouraged, excited or miserable it all depends on what’s going through their head that day. The simplest thing can change the mood of a person in this state of mind or they could be stuck in a particular emotional spectrum.

Depression is the one a touch on in my paper; this is the most common mood disorder. Depression is a state in which a person feels overwhelmed with sadness, loses interest in activities, and displays other symptoms such as excessive guilt or feelings of worthlessness. People that suffer from this disorder are distant from family and friends and are not in the mood to have fun. They feel people are always talking about them, their always tired, and can’t make the simplest decisions. My cousin had a severe case of depression; she lost interest in sex, food, and spending quality time with her husband. She had trouble concentrating and often said people think she stinks at work. The reason I said she had a severe case because she committed suicide days before our family reunion. Her husband stated the medicine she was on made her tired so he convinced her to stop taking it and shortly after she did she shot herself to death.
There is a difference between clinical depression and the “normal” kind of depression that many of us experience from time-to-time. It is normal to be sad when things aren’t going right, death in the family, loss of a job etc. But that sadness should not last for months and months. Everyone has the occasional “saturday night blues.” I myself have had the blues if my day isn’t going right. There are two forms of depression, Major depressive disorder this is an episode of intense sadness that may last for several months. Secondly is Dysthymia disorder involves less intense sadness, but persists with little relief for a period of 2 years or more. According to the text, some depression can be so serve people become psychotic—that is, they lose touch with reality. I know people who commit crimes often say they were in a psychotic state of mind, which is hard to believe for me how can you go and kill someone with realizing what you are doing when you are in the moment of the act.
They are many effective ways to deal with depression, including exercise, therapy and medication. You will need to see a counselor to see which method is best for you. Treating depression will take some time; it might take some trial and error to find the right treatment that works best for you. People shouldn’t rely on medication alone, although medication can relieve the symptoms of depression studies show that other treatments such as exercise and therapy can be effective with the medication. Treatment of depression takes time and commitment for the individual, it may seem overwhelming at times but you should hang in there for the end results. People who are depression should change their lifestyle, they should add regular exercise, it is a powerful depression fighter. It boost serotonin endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals, it triggers the growth of new brain cells and connections. Nutrition is also good with dealing with depression, eating well is important for both your physical and mental health. Eating small, well-balanced meals throughout the day will help you keep your energy up and minimize mood swings. Sleep has a strong effect on mood. When you don’t get enough sleep, your depression symptoms will be worse. Sleep deprivation exacerbates irritability, moodiness, sadness, and fatigue. This can happen to anyone who doesn’t get enough sleep. Social support is big help when someone is going through depression; it reduces isolation, a key factor for depression. When you’re depressed you never in a room with a large crow you tend to shy away in the back room. Keep in regular contact with friends and family, or consider joining a class or group. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get social support and help other while also helping yourself.

Other remedies include vitamins and supplements for depression and they are widely over the counter. Relaxation techniques may help relieve symptoms of depression, and also reduce stress and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Acupuncture is a growing trend as well, the technique of using fine needles on specific points on the body for therapeutic purposes, is increasing being investigated as a treatment for depression. There are a lot of treatments for depression, but the first step has to come from that person and realize they have a problem. If they can’t admit to having a problem then it will never get resolved. As they say the first step is realizing you have a problem. Depression can be deadly if go untreated, if a person feels isolated for a long period of time they need to seek help for somewhere.

References

Morris, C. G., & Maisto, A.A. (2002). Psychology: An Introduction (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Saisan, J. & Smith, M., (2010) Depression and its cures. Reviewed: September 19, 2010 www.helpguide.org