Major depression is a mental health problem that is very common in society and is increasing in prevalence. It ranks fourth among all diseases in terms of life difficulties caused by the disease. In studies conducted to determine the prevalence of this disease, the prevalence of major depression in the community was found to be approximately 3-5%. In the Turkey Mental Health Profile Study, the prevalence of major depression attacks in 1 year
is given as 5.4% in women, 2.3% in men, and 4.0% in the whole population
. The risk of developing this disease in women is 2 times higher. Major depression is a recurrent disease, and in 15% of people who have had a major depression attack once, the disease recurs in later periods.
What are the Main Symptoms of Major Depression?
Depressed mood all day long
Loss of interest in activities, inability to enjoy life
Decreased or increased appetite/weight change
Sleep disorders
Slowness or intolerance in movements and mind 6) Weakness or tiredness almost every day
Feelings of worthlessness and/or guilt
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Recurrent thoughts of death, making plans to attempt suicide
Major depressive illness; at least 5 of the above symptoms in a person are present almost every day, most of the days for the last 2 weeks, and these symptoms
are not due to a medical illness, death of a loved one, alcohol-drug or drug use. In addition to the main symptoms listed above, this disease picture may be accompanied by various physical complaints such as pain for which no cause can be found, and gastrointestinal complaints. In addition, if major depression
is observed in addition to chronic diseases such as DIABETES, HIGH TENSION, HIGH CHOLESTEROL, the course of existing physical diseases may worsen (For example: Blood pressure and sugar levels may deteriorate, there may be an increase in the feeling of existing pain).
Who is at risk for depression?
Major depressive illness can occur in every person at some point in his life. However, in some cases, the risk of depression increases. The factors that increase the risk are listed below.
Biological factors
Presence of depression or other psychiatric diseases in the relatives of the person
Being female
Meticulous and touchy personality structure
Various physical diseases Presence (Especially thyroid hormone imbalances, anemia, other hormonal diseases, etc.)
Having had a previous depression
Some group drugs that should be used for the treatment of existing physical illness
Environmental factors
Early loss of parents
Stressful living conditions, Unemployment
Marital problems or divorce
Low socioeconomic level
Alcohol or use of other drugs
Childhood sexual, physical or mental abuse
Considering the presence of these risk factors It is helpful in the early diagnosis of the disease and in the prevention of its occurrence or exacerbation
.
Do you know about depression treatment?
Depression is a treatable illness.
Moderate and severe depressions require drug treatment.
If you have liver or kidney disease, care should be taken in choosing antidepressant medication.
Depression worsens the course of existing chronic illness.
Response to antidepressant drugs begins at the earliest in the 3rd week. For this reason,
antidepressant drugs should not be discontinued immediately if there is no response in the first days.
Antidepressant drugs are not addictive.
Antidepressant treatment should be for at least 12 months.
Antidepressant drugs should not be stopped immediately; dose should be tapered off.
Depression treatment must be done by physicians with regular intervals.
The Place of Psychotherapy (Psychological Treatment) in Depression:
Moderate and severe depressions are not expected to improve without medication. For this reason, drug treatment is essential in depressions other than mild depression; patients will also benefit from the psychotherapy they receive in addition to the medication.
In the exacerbation of depression, supportive psychotherapies are used rather than investigating the causes. In these psychotherapy interviews, the goal is not to solve the crisis problem, but to gain coping skills. Apart from these, cognitive interventions for recognizing one’s depression by giving information about depression are also appropriate. Behavioral methods that aim to change daily functioning and behaviors are also useful. Another important point to be considered in psychotherapy during the exacerbation of depression is the severity of the disease. The psychiatrist will determine the speed of the interviews according to the severity of the patient’s condition.
Women and Depression
Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in society. Having an idea about this disease is one of the most effective coping methods. In this section, it has been tried to briefly mention how depression progresses in the female gender and what should be considered in various age groups.
Depression is two times more common in women than in men. Younger age groups are at higher risk for depression in women. Individuals who are prone to this disease experience their first attacks, especially during the reproductive period between the ages of 15-45. Depression episodes may recur after the first episode, related to stressful events in life.
The expectation of women by the society to be successful in areas such as working life, caring for the family, getting along with their spouse, and living a healthy life made it difficult to balance. It has been observed that factors such as childhood-adult sexual traumas and domestic violence increase the frequency of depression. In addition to these, hormonal changes during pregnancy, puberty, menopause and menstrual periods are biological factors that explain the susceptibility to depression in women.
Depression is a disease that impairs the functionality of women who play key roles in life. With this disease, loss of abilities such as withdrawal from social life, irritability, sexual reluctance, and inability to care for the family are seen in women. As a result of this, very important personal and social problems such as not being able to care for the baby, marital problems and breaking up in the family arise in post-pregnancy depression. For these reasons, depression in women is a disease that needs to be recognized quickly and treated effectively. It is known that most women use ways to cope with depression, such as alcohol, painkillers, marijuana, sleeping pills, instead of medical help, which complicate the event and cause additional problems such as addiction.
Pregnancy and beyond is a risky period that can initiate or worsen depression for most women. In the days following the birth, 80% of women experience a period called ‘blues’, crying quickly, irritability, emotionally fragile 3-5 days and mostly spontaneous. If this period, which can be overcome with social support, does not pass, it may be the beginning of post-pregnancy depression, which is a serious illness. In this case, it is highly recommended to seek medical advice.
Risk Factors for Post-Pregnancy Depression:
History of previous post-pregnancy depression
History of premenstrual restlessness (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)
Depression in the family
Depression symptoms related to birth control pills (ox).
Stressful life events (such as economic, family support, spouse unemployment)
Fragile personality structure (Anxious, perfectionist structure)
Symptoms of Post-Pregnancy Depression:
Somatic complaints (such as headache, chest pain, palpitations)
Anxiety, emotional lability, obsessive behaviors (meaningless fears, controlling behaviors, thinking about the same subject), fear of harming the baby
Uncontrolled crying, decreased interest in the baby, withdrawal from society, irritability and conflict with the family
Risk Factors for Menopausal Depression:
Depression, severe premenstrual restlessness symptoms, post-pregnancy depression, mood changes due to ox use
Other medical diseases (such as heart diseases, stroke, diabetes)
Poor physical health (chronic pain, low exercise tolerance, obesity)
) Severe menopausal complaints (Hot flashes, sweating)
Early menopause due to treatments
Spouse loss, divorce, separation, isolation from society, unemployment, low education level, difficult caregiving periods
Symptoms of Menopause Depression:
Hot flashes, night sweats, weakness, sleep disturbances, headaches, emotional paralysis, tingling lips, chest pain, palpitations
Anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sexual intercourse Decreased desire
Uncontrolled crying, irritability
Premenstrual Restlessness (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) Risks:
Post-pregnancy or any period of depression
Birth control Depression symptoms due to pills (ox)
Family history of premenstrual restlessness (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)
Premenstrual restlessness (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder) Foric Disorder) Symptoms:
Feeling bloated, abdominal tension, weakness, appetite changes, cravings, aches, and chest tightness
Worry, tension, emotional lability, depression, choking or loss of control
Rapid crying and irritability
These symptoms are expected to start the week before menstruation and decrease with menstruation.
