Depression (mood)

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For other uses, see Depression.
See main article: Clinical depression
Emotions
Basic

Anger
Disgust
Fear
Happiness
Sadness
Surprise
Others

Acceptance
Affection
Ambivalence
Annoyance
Apathy
Anxiety
Awe
Boredom
Compassion
Confusion
Contempt
Curiosity
Depression
Desire
Disappointment
Doubt
Ecstasy
Empathy
Envy
Embarrassment
Euphoria
Frustration
Gratitude
Grief
Guilt
Hatred
Hope
Horror
Hostility
Hunger
Hate
Hysteria
Interest
Jealousy
Loneliness
Lust
Paranoia
Pity
Pleasure
Pride
Rage
Regret
Remorse
Revenge
Shame
Wonder

v • d • e

Depression (everyday general usage) commonly refers to a downturn in mood which may be relatively transitory and perhaps due to something trivial. The common usage of this term differs significantly from the medical term Clinical depression, which is a mental disorder marked by symptoms that last two weeks or more and are so severe that they interfere with daily living.

In the field of psychiatry the term depression can also have the everyday general meaning but it refers more specifically to a mental disorder when it has reached a severity and duration to warrant a diagnosis. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) states that a depressed mood is often reported as being: "... depressed, sad, hopeless, discouraged, or 'down in the dumps'."

In a clinical setting, a depressed mood can be something a patient reports (a symptom), or something a clinician observes (a sign), or both.

Contents

[edit] Determinants of mood

Depression can be the result of many factors, individually or acting in concert.


[edit] Environment

Reactions to events, often a loss in some form, are perhaps the most obvious causes. This loss may be obvious, such as the loss of a loved one, or having moved from one house to another (mainly with children), or less obvious, such as disillusionment about one's career prospects. A lack of control of one's environment can lead to feelings of helplessness. Domestic disputes and financial difficulties are common causes of a depressed mood. Other causes of depression are loneliness, and feelings that one isn't cared about by others.

[edit] Internal psychological factors

Sometimes the depressed mood may relate more to internal processes or even be triggered by them. Pessimistic views of life or a lack of self-esteem can lead to depression. Illnesses and changes in cognition that occur in psychoses and dementias, to name but two, can lead to depression.


[edit] Anxiety

Anxiety and stress can both cause a down swing in mood and can lead to a more serious state of depression if left unchecked. If mood becomes serious, the person might resolve to suicide.

[edit] Biological models of causation

These are varied but generally include hereditary, neurotransmitter, hormonal, illness, seasonal factors, exposure to dampness and mold in the home[1] and to the frequent exposure via the frequent use of air fresheners and other aerosols in the home.[2] which are more fully discussed in the clinical depression article.

[edit] Adaptive benefits of depression

While a depressed mood is usually seen as deleterious, it may have adaptive benefits. Of interest is the fact that physical illness tends to lead to depressive behavior and some diseases, such as influenza, are often accompanied by a degree of depression that seems out of proportion to the physical illness. A depressed mood is adaptive in illness in that it leads to the person resting and in general elicits care. Seasonal affective disorder may point to an atavistic link with behavior in hibernation.

[edit] Mental disorders with depression

A depressed mood is usually a core feature of some mental disorders such as:

[edit] Substances claimed to be commonly used or promoted to treat depression (effective or not)

 This article or section is missing citations or needs footnotes.
Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (March 2008)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dampness and Mold in the Home and Depression: An Examination of Mold-Related Illness and Perceived Control of One’s Home as Possible Depression Pathways Edmond D. Shenassa, ScD, Constantine Daskalakis, ScD, Allison Liebhaber, BA, Matthias Braubach, MPH and MaryJean Brown, ScD, RN October 2007, Vol 97, No. 10 | RESEARCH AND PRACTICE | American Journal of Public Health 1893-1899 © 2007 American Public Health Association DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.093773 PMID 17761567 http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/97/10/1893?HITS=10&sortspec=relevance&hits=10&author1=Edmond+Shenassa&maxtoshow=&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT&searchid=1&RESULTFORMAT=
  2. ^ "Symptoms of mothers and infants related to total volatile organic compounds in household products" Arch Environ Health. 2003 Oct;58(10):633-41; PMID 15562635; "Air fresheners can make mothers and babies ill" University of Bristol press release issued 19 October 2004
  3. ^ Davidson JR, Abraham K, Connor KM, McLeod MN (2003). "Effectiveness of chromium in atypical depression: a placebo-controlled trial". Biol. Psychiatry 53 (3): 261-4. PMID 12559660. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_%28mood%29"
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