Does depression go away? If you have been feeling sad, tired, or in a low mood for a few weeks, or have distanced yourself from your friends and family members recently, then you should think about your mental health. Ask a mental health professional about your mental health conditions and seek help because these are symptoms of depression or major depressive disorder, atypical depression, mild depression, bipolar depression or in simple language mood disorder, or other mental health problems.
1. What Are Depressive Disorders?
Did you ever feel alone, sad, and low-spirited all day? Indeed, you remember those times when you did not want any type of social interaction and you just wanted to stay away from your family members. You stopped enjoying all those activities, which you used to enjoy once.
Depression affects daily life activities and it’s possible to face depressive episodes once in a while because of mood disorder. It is a chronic pain or chronic condition according to this study. A part of the population suffers from a major depressive disorder.
1.1. Causes of Depression
1.1.1. Childhood Trauma
Experiencing unwanted moments or traumatic moments in childhood can cause depression.
1.1.2. Family History
Having a biological family member with the same problem can be the reason for depression.
1.1.3. Mindset
Most of the time things in our lives depend on the way we see them or the way we think about them. If we are constantly sad about something or we have a negative perspective towards our life then it can also be the reason for Persistent Depressive Disorder or PDD.
1.1.4. Life Events
Unwanted or tragic events like the death of someone close to us in our lives can also be a big reason for bad mental health. Sometimes, this can even lead to major depressive disorder.
1.1.5. Age Factor
After a certain age, mostly after 50, people are more prone to have chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and mental health disc disorders Abuse
Facing mental, physical, or sexual abuse can also lead to mood disorder or severe depression.
1.1.6. Drugs and Alcohol
Consuming recreational drugs like marijuana, cocaine or morphine can lead to depression symptoms. It is also known as substance abuse.
1.2. What Are the Different Types of Depression?
Many studies have been done in past years to find out more about depression like different types of depression symptoms. The best example is the “psychiatric epidemiological cohort study”, whose sole reason was to understand the reason for mental health problems around the world, according to people. There are different types of depression: some with different and some with the same symptoms as given below:
1.2.1. Mood Disorder
A mood disorder is a type of mental health that affects a person’s state for some time. In this, individuals feel different emotions simultaneously like extreme happiness or extreme sadness, or in some cases both. The most common mood disorders are bipolar disorder, major depression, and major depressive disorders. These types of depression are caused by a general medical condition or substance-induced mood disorder. A common mood disorder is also known as minor depressive disorder.
1.2.2. Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is faced by women after childbirth because of drastic body changes and the decrease in hormone levels like estrogen, which causes low mood. The symptoms include feeling tired all day, getting irritated all day by small things, loss of appetite, and persistent low mood. Sometimes mothers have difficulty bonding with their newborns. Certain moms face it for a short period with ordinary problems but in some cases, they can be severe and long-lasting.
1.2.3. Atypical Depression
This type of depression is different from other depressions and the name itself suggests the difference. Atypical depression symptoms are not like typical depression symptoms because in this your mental health or your low mood can be brightened because of too many positive behaviors or positive events unlike in typical depression where your low mood is constant.
Regardless of events happening around you, in atypical depression, the patient feels hypersensitive, an increase in appetite, and hypersomnia. Women are more prone to atypical depression than men and the depression symptoms can be seen in their early twenties.
There are many causes of atypical depression like having a similar family history with a family member diagnosed with a mood disorder, a biological member to be more precise. Trauma can also be a reason for chronic stress.
1.2.4. Seasonal Affective Disorder
When we experience depression symptoms or depressive episodes at a particular time of year, it is known as a seasonal affective disorder. The symptoms of depression are the same as others, like feeling tired and sad most of the time and having trouble sleeping or having difficulty concentrating.
1.2.5. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Many girls and women suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder or premenstrual syndrome. It is triggered by decreasing levels of estrogen or progesterone before menstruation or after ovulation. During this period, many females can feel irritated, angry, or have the urge to cry.
1.2.6. Other Problems
There are not only emotional factors that lead to depression but also some physical or psychological factors like psychodermatology. There are three stages divided between skin disease and mental disorders that lead to depression, fear, and suicidal thoughts sometimes.
2. Is Depression Dangerous and Does Depression Go Away?
Depression has different stages. Depression can be categorized as dangerous or not. People suffering from depression can either have minor depressive episodes or major depressive episodes. Also, how long it can take for depression to be cured depends upon the willpower of the person suffering from mental illness. If they seek treatment from a professional and get proper treatment, depression can be cured, especially if depression symptoms are detected early.
There are many NGOs and anxiety and depression associations like the American Psychiatric Association where many mental health-related professionals work together to ensure the well-being of people and their mental illness. They aim to promote depression because untreated depression or depressed mood can cause severe depression as they are very harmful. Their risk indicators are low mood, isolation from family and friends, and thoughts of self-harm like suicidal thoughts.
3. Types of Treatment for Depression
Are there many ways to treat depression, depending on the symptoms of depression? Yes, absolutely. Also, knowing how long it will take for the depression to be cured as well is important. Antidepressant medications and talk therapy are the most commonly prescribed medications for an appropriate way of depression treatment. A few more depression treatment options are given below-
4. Conclusion
Is depression curable? Will depression ever go away? Yes, it will, with a lot of patience and willpower and with depression treatment options. But for that, we need to change our perspective towards mental health, and we should not treat it like a taboo.
We can start talking with our family members because they are the closest to us. With an open mind toward mental health or depressive episodes, we can cure persistent depressive disorder and bipolar disorders. Ultimately, with this, we can also change people’s negative perspectives toward mental health conditions.