What is unipolar depression?
Depression is a common mental health condition that causes people to feel sad, powerless, or numb. Nearly one in six adults in the United States has experienced or currently experiences some degree of depression.
If you are often depressed and have lost interest in life, you may wonder if you have depression. However, when you want to learn more about depression, you may find that there are many technical terms, such as unipolar, bipolar, clinical, and dysthymic. These terms leave you feeling confused and helpless. This article will explain the definition, symptoms, causes and treatments of unipolar depression in detail, hoping to give you a clearer understanding of this disease.
Unipolar depression, also called unipolar disorder or major depressive disorder, refers to a state of intense sadness, melancholy, or hopelessness that people experience for a long period of time. This state of mind is a mental disorder that can seriously affect people’s social functioning and daily activities. The name means that this state of mind has only one ‘pole’ or direction, which is downward. In contrast, bipolar depression has two ‘poles’ or directions, up and down. If you have bipolar depression, you not only have depressive states but also manic or hypomanic states.
If you’re not sure whether you have depression, or what type of depression you have, you should talk to your doctor, psychiatrist, or mental health counselor before diagnosing it. They can give you an accurate assessment and diagnosis based on your symptoms, medical history, and other factors.
What are the typical symptoms of unipolar depression?
Symptoms of unipolar depression are sometimes subtle and may not even be noticeable to you. Here are some common symptoms. If you have these symptoms for more than two weeks, you may have unipolar depression:
- Apathy: You lose interest and affection in things, people, and activities that you once enjoyed.
- Sadness: You often feel sad, empty, or crying, sometimes for no apparent reason. Some people may also feel angry, irritable, or irritable.
- Slowness: You think, speak, and act more slowly than usual, and you feel sluggish, hesitant, or listless.
- Suicide: You often or repeatedly think about death, suicide, or harming yourself. This is a very dangerous sign and you need to seek help immediately.
- Physical discomfort: You may have some unexplained physical symptoms, such as headaches, back pain, stomach pain, etc. These symptoms may be a reflection of depression.
Some medical conditions can also cause low mood, such as hypothyroidism. It can cause weight gain, drowsiness, and depressed mood. If you have these symptoms, you should see your doctor to rule out other possible causes.
What causes unipolar depression?
There is no one definite cause of depression; it can be the result of a combination of factors. These factors include:
- Biological factors: The brain structure and function of patients with depression may be different from that of normal people. These differences may be related to some chemicals in the brain that affect mood, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. The levels and effects of these chemicals may play an important role in the development and treatment of depression.
- Genetic factors: There is a certain genetic predisposition to depression. If someone in your family has depression, your risk of developing depression yourself will increase. Currently, researchers are looking for genetic variants that may be linked to depression.
- Environmental factors: Depression may also be caused by some external stimulation or pressure, such as the death of a loved one, breakdown of marriage, job change, financial difficulties, social isolation, etc. These events can place a huge psychological burden on people, leading to emotional imbalance and depression.
- Hormonal factors: Depression may also be related to the body’s hormone levels. For example, when women are pregnant, after childbirth, or during menopause, hormonal changes may cause mood swings and depression. Other conditions that affect hormones, such as thyroid disease and adrenal gland disease, may also be related to depression.
How is unipolar depression diagnosed?
You don’t necessarily need to see a specialist to diagnose depression; you can start by seeing your family doctor or primary care provider. They will ask about your symptoms, their duration, severity, and whether you have had suicidal thoughts or behaviors. They will also check your medical condition to rule out other possible causes.
If your doctor suspects you have depression, they may ask you to take some psychological tests, such as the Self-Rating Depression Inventory, to assess your psychological condition. They may also refer you to mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and mental health counselors, who can give you a more detailed assessment and diagnosis.
You can also do some self-assessment scales to understand whether you are prone to depression, but this cannot replace professional diagnosis.
Here are some commonly used self-report depression scales, you can click on the link to test them:
- Beck Depression Inventory BDI-IA www.psyctest.cn/t/vWx1ArxX/
- SDS Self-rating Depression Scale www.psyctest.cn/t/NydagK56/
- Burns Depression Checklist (BDC) www.psyctest.cn/t/vWx1bedX/
- Depression Test Scale PHQ-9 www.psyctest.cn/t/MV5gLAxw/
How to treat unipolar depression?
Unipolar depression is not an incurable disease and can be effectively controlled and alleviated through medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle improvements. Here are some common treatments:
- Medication: Medication is one of the main treatments for depression. It can improve the mood and mental state of patients with depression by regulating chemicals in the brain. The most commonly used drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase serotonin levels in the brain and thereby relieve symptoms of depression. Other drugs, such as tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, can also be used to treat depression, but their side effects may be greater. Drug treatment needs to be carried out under the guidance of a doctor. Different drugs may have different effects on different people and need to be adjusted and selected according to individual circumstances.
- Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is another important treatment for depression. It can help patients with depression recognize and change their negative thinking and behavior patterns and enhance their coping through dialogue with a professional mental health counselor. competence and self-esteem, and reduce psychological stress and pain. The most commonly used psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which can help patients with depression break their negative cycles and establish a more positive and realistic way of thinking by teaching some practical skills and strategies. Some other psychological therapies, such as interpersonal therapy, dynamic therapy, mindfulness therapy, etc., can also be used to treat depression, but their scope of application and effectiveness may vary. Psychotherapy needs to be carried out with the help of a professional mental health counselor, and generally needs to last for a period of time to see obvious results.
- Lifestyle improvement: Lifestyle improvement is an auxiliary treatment for depression. It can improve the physical and mental health of patients with depression, and enhance their resistance and happiness by adjusting some daily habits and behaviors. Here are some helpful lifestyle improvements:
- Balanced diet: Diet has a great impact on mood. Some foods can provide nutrients and energy needed by the body and brain, helping to improve mood and mental state. In general, you should eat a Mediterranean diet rich in lean protein, plant foods, fish and olive oil, eat less foods high in sugar, fat, salt and processed foods, and avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine.
- Regular exercise: Exercise can improve blood circulation in the body and increase levels of chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thereby alleviating the symptoms of depression. Generally speaking, you should do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, etc., at least three times a week, lasting more than 30 minutes each time. You should choose a comfortable and safe environment when exercising, preferably outdoors where you can enjoy sunshine and fresh air.
- Get enough sleep: Sleep also has a huge impact on mood, and lack of sleep can lead to low mood, poor concentration, and poor memory. Generally speaking, you should ensure 7 to 9 hours of high-quality sleep every day, try to maintain a fixed sleep schedule, avoid using electronic devices, drinking coffee or alcohol before going to bed, and create a quiet, comfortable and dark sleep environment.
- Active social interaction: Social interaction can bring support, comfort and happiness to people, and relieve feelings of loneliness and depression. Generally speaking, you should keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues, share your feelings and experiences, seek their help and advice, and participate in some meaningful and interesting social activities, such as joining an interest group, volunteer organization or community Services etc.
- A regular life: A regular life can bring people a sense of order, security and control, and reduce uncertainty and anxiety. Generally speaking, you should make a reasonable schedule for yourself, arrange your work, study and leisure time, get up on time, eat and rest on time, and develop some beneficial habits, such as doing some meditation, breathing or stretching in the morning Practice, write some gratitude or reflection diaries at night, etc.
If you think you may have unipolar depression, don’t ignore your symptoms and don’t shoulder all the burden on yourself. Please contact your doctor or mental health counselor as soon as possible for professional help and treatment. Unipolar depression is not your fault, nor is it your weakness. It is a disease that can be cured. As long as you have enough courage and determination, you can come out of it and regain your happiness and hope. .
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