What is it?
The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. But as a general rule, if you’re depressed, you feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy.
- The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life.
NHS Choices
Diagnosis tests
If one scores 3 or more (Patients scoring 3 or above on the PHQ-2 will have experienced at least one core symptom of depression at least half of the time and found it bothersome; therefore, there is a good chance they may be experiencing other symptoms of depression) then also consider:
- Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)
- NICE suggests that individuals scoring 16 or above on the PHQ-9 with a confirmed diagnosis of depression are treated for ‘more severe’ depression (formerly called ‘moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms’), while those scoring less than 16 on PHQ-9 should be treated for ‘less severe’ depression (previously ‘subthreshold or mild-to-moderate symptoms’)
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Washington: : American Psychiatric Association 2013.
Patient Health Questionnaire‐2. AETC. 2016.
(accessed Feb 2023).
Löwe B, Kroenke K, Gräfe K. Detecting and monitoring depression with a two-item questionnaire (PHQ-2). Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2005;
58:163–71. doi:
10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.09.006
Depression in adults: treatment and management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 2022.
Medtick Aftercare service
Depression is a broad diagnosis and different people may experience different symptoms, as a general guide, if one decides to use the Medtick ‘Aftercare service’ and has the following scores:
Medtick results:
- If result is less than 50%- not depressed (but if symptoms continue, seek healthcare professional advice)
- If result is 50-60% – a mild depressive episode
- If result is 60% or 70% – A moderate- to – severe depressive episode
- If result is 70% or higher (with or without psychosis) – A severe depressive episode
Cause
There’s no single cause of depression.
It can occur for a variety of reasons, triggers include:
- Age: as one gets older
- Disruption of the gut microflora may lead to production of toxic metabolites that can pass through the blood-brain barrier and trigger neuroinflammation
- Poor diet
- Over use of antibiotics
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
-
- Anxiety on conduct disorders
- Being less social and/or loneliness
- Bereavement
- Divorce
- Drinking alcohol more
- Family history of depression
- Financial worries
- Head injury
- History of bullying and/or abuse
- Illness
- One has low self- esteem or overly self- critical
- Postnatal depression (after giving birth)
- Pressure of a job/school/event
- Redundancy
- Relationship breakdown
- Upsetting or stressful life event
- Narcolepsy
- Ear worm (Having a song in your head, but does not go away, if longer than 24 hours and is affecting your daily routine, please refer to a medical doctor/psychiatrist to determine an underlying cause)
- Menopause
- Familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies
Syndromes
Illicit drugs
Medication
Vitamins, herbal and minerals
Symptoms
(Symptoms are for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least one month)
Depression in adults: treatment and management . National Institute for Health and Care Excellence . 2022.
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance
/ng222/chapter/
Recommendations#treatment-for-a-new-episode-of-less-severe-depression.
- General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
- Drinking alcohol more/drug misuse?
- Feeling unsociable?
- Persistent sadness or low mood which may present as irritability?
- Loss of interest or loss of pleasure (anhedonia)?
- Low sex drive?
- Low energy?
Other associated symptoms:
- Poor quality or increased need for sleep?
- Poor concentration or indecisiveness?
- Low self confidence?
- Poor or increased appetite?
- Agitation or slowing of movements?
- Guilt or self blame?
- Suicidal thought or acts?
Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:
Do not wait, phone for an ambulance if one have symptoms and/or develop:
- Suicidal thought
- Harm oneself
- Hallucinations
Please beware (as this could be of initial symptoms) of symptoms of:
This condition can lead to:
Driving Authority
This condition may be associated and/or similar and/or confused with:
- Autism
- Asperger’s syndrome
- Borderline personality disorder
- Bipolar disease
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
- Hypothyroidism
- Dyspraxia
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
-
- Type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year.
- Persons with mood changes are sensitive to light changes (due to hypothalamus function in the brain):
- Less light- lenghthens the sleep -wake cycle leading to depression.
- More light- shortens the sleep- wake cycle leading to mania.
- Symptoms of depression are more intense symptoms during the winter (peak symptoms usually occur during spring and fall months) and less intense symptoms during the summer sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
- The main age of onset for SAD is 18-30 years; SAD is less likely to occur in older adults.
- Most individuals who experience SAD are women.
- To be diagnosed with SAD, an individual must demonstrate at least two episodes of depressive disturbance in the previous 2 years and seasonal episodes should substantially outnumber nonseasonal episodes.
- Symptoms, including hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness), increased appetite, and craving for carbohydrates( sugar). Spring/summer SAD is more frequently associated with insomnia and loss of appetite.
- treatment is to increase light exposure in the winter and decrease light exposure in the summer:
- Leave bedroom curtain/shutter open (increase morning sun exposure), use sunglasses less, seek the sun , walk during noon in the winter/spring and fall months.
- Consider light therapy in winter months only (not spring and falls).
- Leave bedroom curtain/shutter closed (reduce morning sun exposure), wear sun glasses and/or wear an eye mask at night in the summer.
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Depression in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
- NHS
Find information and advice on health conditions, symptoms, healthy living, medicines and how to get help (British National Health Service).
- Medscape
Latest medical news and expert commentary in your specialty as well as disease information.
- Pharmaceutical Journal
The Pharmaceutical Journal covers analysis, features, opinion, learning and careers articles, providing insight and knowledge about drugs, pharmacy practice, medicines use and healthcare policy in the context of the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical science.
- Healthline
Medical Information and health advice you can trust
- ChatGPT
Get instant answers, find creative inspiration, and learn something new.
- Medical News Today
Medical news and health news headlines posted throughout the day, every day.
- WebMD
Better Information. Better Health.
- Cleveland Clinic
Pushing the Standards of care.
- Mayo Clinic
No.1 Hospital in the Nation (America)
- Drugs.com
Know more. Be sure.
- National Organisation of Rare Diseases
NORD is dedicated to supporting education, elevating care, advancing research, and driving policy for rare diseases.
- Verywell Health
Know more. Fell better.
- Fit for Travel
Information on how to stay safe and healthy abroad.
- DR Axe
Health and fitness news. Recipes, Natural Remedies
References
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/991178?ecd=mkm_ret_230506_mscpmrk_psych_anxiety&uac=240096MZ&impID=5403082
