The Mental Health Corner Archive
Depression is the 'common cold' of mental illness
July 1, 2009
Depression is the common cold of mental illness.
5% of American adults suffer from major depressive disorder yearly (6+% women and 3+% men), one form of depression.
The rates of major depression are increasing in the United States and are appearing earlier in life.
Even as we enter the summer months with warmer weather, longer days with more light, and other factors that typically appear to lead to improved mood, we still have a significant number of individuals struggling with major depressive disorder, a type of mood disorder that is not impacted much by situational factors.
All around the country, there are people who struggle with major depressive disorder, and quite a few are experiencing an ongoing daily battle with chronic depression.
Debilitating symptoms
In spite of various treatment interventions including antidepressant medications, they still struggle with debilitating symptoms.
Many share personal information about their mood problem only with those who have previously risked disclosing their own episodes of or treatment for depression. Though depression is prevalent in our society, open discussion about it is often covered up due to the fear that it implies personal failure.
Multiple factors are involved in the development of major depressive disorder and a variety of contributory causes play a role in its onset. These include, but are not limited to: genetic predisposition, individual biochemistry, environmental stressors, behavioral patterns, interpersonal stressors, and thoughts. Each of these factors may play a role as a contributory cause that initiates, maintains, or worsens an episode of depression.
Prescription antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy are the only treatments for which there is good evidence of effectiveness in improving symptoms of severe and psychotic depressive disorders.
There is no reliable evidence that one type of treatment (non-drug or drug) is superior to another in improving symptoms of mild to moderate major depression. Some treatments are effective, and the effectiveness of others is uncertain.
Beneficial results
For mild to moderate major depression, the most beneficial results currently appear to result from combining prescription antidepressant drugs and psychological treatment, (especially cognitive therapy).
Independent treatment in the form of prescription antidepressant drugs, cognitive therapy, or interpersonal psychotherapy, are also beneficial.
For mild to moderate major depression, treatments likely to be beneficial include exercise, care pathways where there is collaborative working between primary care clinicians and intensive education about depression for the person struggling with depression, and problem solving treatment.
Various factors also contribute to preventing the development of major depression, decreasing its severity, and/or shortening a major depressive episode.
These include social support and religious faith and each represent buffering factors since they often offer a sense of purpose and belonging.
Positive behaviors from those individuals offering social support that are beneficial to depressed individuals include: warmth, understanding, affirmation, positive interpersonal attachment, mutual trust, acceptance, confidence and empathy. Negative behaviors that are not helpful include: belittling, blaming, ignoring, negating, attacking and rejecting.
When treating major depressive disorder, be sure and turn to interventions that are supported by clinical evidence.
