Psychology: Depression

Written by: Caroline Kim

September 28, 2024

This week, we’ll begin a new series diving into the symptoms, causes, treatment, and neurobiology behind psychology. This week our topic of interest is depression. This mood disorder affects roughly 17.3 million adults in the U.S., which equates to a little over 7% of the adult U.S. population (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance). In addition, approximately 2.7 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 years were diagnosed with depression from 2016 and 2019 (Center for Disease Control). While this is a prevalent mood disorder, it is very serious and impacts day to day life. 

As defined by the National Institute of Mental Health, Depression (also known as Major Depressive Disorder) causes “ symptoms of depressed mood or loss of interest, most of the time for at least 2 weeks, that interfere with daily activities” (National Institute of Health). Given this definition, there are more specific and circumstantial kinds of depression such as persistent depressive disorder, perinatal depression, and seasonal depression (National Institute of Health). Common symptoms of depression include feelings of worthlessness/helplessness, difficulty sleeping, lack of or increased appetite, loss of interest in activities, and thoughts of suicide (Mayo Clinic Staff). Additional behavioral symptoms can include substance abuse, impulsivity, and isolation (National Institute of Health). Depression affects individuals of all ethnic groups and all ages; as such, symptoms can vary across age groups, where children may refuse to go to school and adults may experience fatigue (Mayo Clinic Staff). Apart from these symptoms, according to Healthline, depression can worsen chronic health conditions such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. 

Risk factors of depression include sex (reports show that depression is twice as high in females, but this could be due to underreported depression in males), medications, socioeconomic status,  ; causes for depression include brain chemistry, hormone levels, family history, trauma, medical conditions, and substance abuse (Higuera). Treatments often come in the form of medication and lifestyle therapies. Prescriptions may be selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants; lifestyle therapies may involve psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and meditation (Higuera). Depression symptoms can also be improved through regular exercise, quality sleep, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and spending time with loved ones (Cleveland Clinic Medical Professional). As this is a very serious condition, remember to check in on all your loved ones regularly as well as yourself. For more information on the neuroscience and chemistry underlying depression, visit the home page!

Sources:

1. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. “Depression Statistics.” Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, 12 July 2019, www.dbsalliance.org/education/depression/statistics/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024. 

2. Center for Disease Control. “Anxiety and Depression in Children: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 Mar. 2023, www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/features/anxiety-depression-children.html#:~:text=Anxiety%20and%20depression%20affect%20many,diagnosed%20depression%20in%202016%2D2019. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024. 

3. National Institute of Health. “Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Mar. 2024, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024. 

4. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Depression (Major Depressive Disorder).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 14 Oct. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024. 

5. Higuera, Valencia. “Everything You Want to Know about Depression.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 27 Oct. 2023, www.healthline.com/health/depression. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024. 

6. Cleveland Clinic Medical Professional. “Depression: Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 10 May 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024. 

7. Maletic, V et al. “Neurobiology of depression: an integrated view of key findings.” International journal of clinical practice vol. 61,12 (2007): 2030-40. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2007.01602.x