1. DEPRESSION’S A
BITCH
• Clinical depression
• Dysthymic disorder
• Major depressive disorder
• Unipolar depression

2. Definition of Condition
 What is depression?
 A depressive disorder is a whole-body illness, involving the body,
mood, thoughts, and affects the way a person eats and sleeps,
feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things. It is not the
same as being unhappy or in a blue mood. Nor is it a sign of
personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished
away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull
themselves together" and get better.
 Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or
years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who
suffer from depression. During any one year period, nearly 19
million American adults suffer from depressive illness. Yet,
treatment can alleviate symptoms in nearly 80 percent of cases.

3. What are the different types of depression?
 Depressive disorders come in different forms, as do other illnesses,
such as heart disease. Three of the most prevalent types of
depressive disorders include the following:
 major depression-a combination of symptoms (see symptom list)
that interfere with the ability to work, sleep, eat, and enjoy once
pleasurable activities. These disabling episodes of depression can
occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime.
 dysthymia-long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but
keep people from functioning at "full steam" or from feeling good.
Sometimes, people with dysthymia also experience major
depressive episodes.
 bipolar disorder (manic-depression)-a chronic, recurring condition
that includes cycles of depression and elation or mania.
 Within these types, there are variations in the number of symptoms,
their severity, and persistence.

4. Cause
Stressful life events
Serious illnesses
Loss of a loved one
Relationship problems
Social isolation
Substance abuse

5. Signs and Symptoms
Sadness  Who Tends to be Most Depressed?
Loss of interest or  This study found the following groups to be more
likely to meet criteria for major depression:
pleasure in activities
 persons 45-64 years of age
you used to enjoy
 women
Change in weight
 blacks, Hispanics, non-Hispanic persons of other
Difficulty sleeping or races or multiple races
oversleeping  persons with less than a high school education
Energy loss  those previously married
Feelings of  individuals unable to work or unemployed
worthlessness  persons without health insurance coverage
 Similar patterns were found among persons with
Thoughts of death or "other depression" with the two following
suicide exceptions: adults aged 18-24 years were most
likely to report "other depression" as were
Hispanics (instead of other non-Hispanics).

6. An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S. Adults Report Depression

7. Treatment
 Depression can be treated with medicines, with counseling, or with both. A
nutritious diet, exercising on a regular basis, and avoiding alcohol, drugs, and too
much caffeine can also help.
 Medicines that treat depression are called antidepressants. They help increase the
number of chemical messengers (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine) in your
brain.
 Antidepressants work differently for different people. They also have different side
effects. So, even if one medicine bothers you or doesn't work for you, another may
help. You may notice improvement as soon as 1 week after you start taking the
medicine. But you probably won't see the full effects for about 8 to 12 weeks. You
may have side effects at first, but they tend to decrease after a couple of weeks.
Don't stop taking the medicine without checking with your doctor first.
 Various medications: Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Pristiq,
Cymbalta, Elavil, Norpramin, Nardil, Pamate, Marplan, Wallbutrin, Remeron

8. Prevention Tips
Don’t live in Seattle!
 Regular exercise
 Balanced diet
 Avoid alcohol and drug use
 Healthy sleep patterns
 Stress management
 Social Support

10. Care giving tips for the NAC
 1. Understand Depression
 2. Appropriate Depression
Treatment
 3. Emotional Support
 4. Separate the Illness and
the Person
 5. Listen Non-Judgmentally
 6. Make a Plan for Coping
with Depression
 7. Look After Yourself

11. Citations
 Medlineplus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000945.htm
 CDC http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics/mental-
illness/depression.htm
 WebMD http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/what-is-
depression
 Butcher, Mineka, & Hooley. (2004). Abnormal Psychology (12th
ed.).
 Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/depression/types.html
 Primary Caregiver Characteristics and Transitions in
Community-Based Care
 Allen, Susan M; Lima, Julie C; Goldscheider, Frances K; Roy,
Jason. The Journals of Gerontology67. 3 (May 2012): 362.
 www.Findinggooptimism.com