Do you know that depression affects more than just a depressed person? In fact, people who surround a depressed individual can also experience signs and symptoms of a depressive disorder. In most cases, a person suffering from the condition doesn’t know he or she has it. Depression is a disorder that develops from environmental and biological issues that are unique to each person. Misinformation about mental illness shames and discriminates those suffering with depression from getting professional help.” Says Deborah Serani, PsyD.
There’s something more about depression than just the classification of extreme sadness and loneliness. It is a type of neurological condition that affects a person’s mental function. It hinders a person’s ability to think positively that critically affects his physical, mental, and emotional health.
Effects Of Depression On The Brain
The number of people who suffers from depression increases each year. A mood disorder can affect our brain in multiple ways. Conversely, though people commonly think of it as emotional stress, there are severe effects that can come along with having it. In truth, the functions of the brain deteriorate when a depressive disorder is present.
Depression is responsible for the shrinking of some parts of the brain that affects its memories. Some cases conclude that the more you suffer from the condition, the more you give a signal to the brain to slow down its progression. The experience of prolonged exposure to the damaging effects of an extreme level of depression can also create complex behaviors that link to your sense of self. Therefore, you may tend to do the things you don’t usually do or vice versa. “While depression can affect a person psychologically, it also has the potential to affect physical structures in the brain. These physical changes range from inflammation and oxygen restriction, to actual shrinking.” says Sarah Wilson, PhD.
The brain that is responsible for decision making and regulates emotions will suffer from excessive levels of stress. It will also experience abnormal shrinking because some parts are hyperactively prone to extreme enlargements. Since it facilitates emotional responses like pleasures and fear, too much of the adverse effect of depression may result in certain conditions such as sleep disturbances and unusual messed-up activity patterns.
Why The Need To Understand The Condition?
An improved understanding of how depression works can give a person a chance of developing methods of treatments. Aside from that, it will allow him to personally check himself for the possible signs that may somehow lead to it. Not all people are aware that they are having distressing symptoms of mental disorder, and that causes them more issues rather than those who understand themselves.
People may not notice depression, but it can come down for weeks, months, and even years. It’s not something that they can shake off whenever they want to and changing their daily routines won’t give them positive results either. At its worst, it can somehow lead a person to commit suicide, and that’s something you wouldn’t want to happen. Katie Hurley, LCSW mentioned that “The possibility of suicidal behavior exists at all times during a major depressive episode. The most consistent risk factor is a past history of attempts or threats, but it’s important to remember that most completed suicides are not preceded by unsuccessful suicides.”
The truth about severe depression is that it can start even without an apparent cause, therefore making it so much complicated to understand. It’s something serious that needs proper attention to be able to address its damaging effects. No matter how depression manifests, it is essential to get professional help. Talking about your condition with a psychologist or psychiatrist is a step toward creating positive progress for healthy mental development.