Major Depression and Me

By: Druva Kota

(Ron Burgundy)

Definition

• Major depression is characterized by the persistence of five or more symptoms of depression for two weeks

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• Excessive frowning

My Symptoms I have been dealing with depression for a long

time, and I has many of these symptoms including: Fatigue and lack of energy Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate

guilt Thoughts of death or suicide Extreme difficulty concentrating (making this PowerPoint

was extremely hard) Fatigue and lack of energy

This is basically how you feel:

• There are 5.259 MILLION new cases of major depression a year

• That’s:– 100861 per week– 14409 per day– 600 per hour– and 10 per second

THAT’S A LOT

Causes

• Though the exact cause of depression is unknown, many researchers believe it is caused by and imbalance in serotonin levels and other neurotransmitters in the brain

• These imbalances are thought to be biological

Treatment

• There are several treatments for depression

• They usually involve:

–Medications

–Counseling– (Usually in combination)

Treatment =

My Treatment

• I’ve tried basically everything. Lexapro, Xanax, Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, and Zyban. I also attend weekly therapy sessions to try to cope with the pain and emptiness. So far none of it has really worked, but I do feel better occasionally

Prognosis

• The outcomes are usually good with treatment, but the problem can sometimes be recurring. Patients must stick to the treatment to prevent the problem from returning

My Prognosis

• My doctor, Brick, says he has high hopes for me. He thinks he will be able to cure me after a few months of treatment. His therapy sessions do help, but I’m not sure how effective he will be. His drugs don’t seem to have any long lasting effects. Maybe I just have to give it time.

Problems Depression Can Problems Depression Can CauseCause

SuicideSuicide Increased risk of alcohol and drug useIncreased risk of alcohol and drug use Increased risk of tobacco addictionIncreased risk of tobacco addiction Increased risk of problems with physical Increased risk of problems with physical

health and premature death due to health and premature death due to medical illnessmedical illness

PreventionPrevention

There are some steps There are some steps you can take to you can take to prevent future prevent future depression, such as:depression, such as:– Avoiding alcohol, Avoiding alcohol,

drugs, and caffeinedrugs, and caffeine– Exercising regularlyExercising regularly– Learning how to relax Learning how to relax

and manage stressand manage stress– Maintaining good Maintaining good

sleep habitssleep habits

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” -Franklin

Depression is a serious issue, if you think you may be

suffering from these symptoms, contact your doctor

for advise immediately

Remember, always have