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Major Depression Summary

Major depression is a serious illness. It can have a huge impact on your life. Working or just being around other people may feel hard or impossible. You may find that everyday activities, such as getting up and taking a shower, are hard to manage.
Symptoms of major depression include:
-Depressed mood for most of the day, every day
-Loss of interest in things you enjoy, including sex
-Changes in appetite or weight
-Insomnia or oversleeping
-Changes in behavior, such as increased agitation or slowed body movements
-Decreased energy or fatigue
-Feeling guilty or worthless
-Trouble concentrating or making decisions
-Frequent thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms vary from person to person. Not everyone who is depressed fits neatly into a category. Some people don’t feel sad so much as numb. Others become angry or short-tempered. Many have physical symptoms, like aches and pains. In rare cases, people with major depression may be delusional or psychotic. Suicide is a very real risk. Up to 15% of people with severe major depression kill themselves.
People with major depression have these symptoms most of the time for at least two weeks. Some people only have one episode of major depression. Others have many.

Depression can also happen to women who are pregnant, some 10% of all expectant mothers. Or depression can strike new mothers, about one in eight, who develop postpartum depression (PPD). It can develop in the first few months after childbirth. Many symptoms of PPD are the same that signal major depression. Some women may also develop a type of psychosis that may threaten their health or their baby. Depression during pregnancy and especially PPD is a serious condition that requires a health care professional’s care for treatment.
If you’re depressed, you may feel utterly alone. But that’s not true. In fact, 9 million Americans are living with major depression.
What’s the Treatment?
Unfortunately, only about half of people with depression seek help. But if you can take the first step, many effective and safe treatments are open to you. Some people only need treatments for a short time. Others benefit from long-term maintenance therapy, which may help prevent depression from returning. Treatments include:
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy. Many studies show that talking with a therapist can relieve depression. You can choose from several kinds of therapy. Some, such as cognitive behavioral and interpersonal therapies, focus on your current behaviors or relationships. Psychodynamic therapy focuses more on past traumas and how they have shaped you.
Medication. Antidepressants, including Effexor, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and many others, are often a key treatment. Your health care provider may also suggest medicines for other symptoms. For instance, you might need a sedative to help you sleep or relieve anxiety.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). For severe or possibly life-threatening depression, ECT (electrical stimulation of the brain) can be a good choice. Despite its bad reputation, ECT is a safe and effective treatment for many people. It’s usually only used in those who haven’t responded to other treatments.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS). VNS is a new approach used in people with serious depression who haven't responded to other treatments. Through a pacemaker-like device implanted in the body, VNS delivers regular electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, one of the nerves that relays information to and from the brain.
Experimental treatments. Some people in clinical trials are testing new techniques, such as magnetic therapy.
Lifestyle changes and alternative treatments. Making commonsense changes can help your mood. Take care of yourself. Get plenty of physical activity, eat healthy foods, and stick to a regular sleep schedule. Take time out to relax and do things you enjoy. As for alternative treatments, research so far shows they do not work. However, if your health care provider approves, you may try herbal remedies, dietary supplements, or other approaches.
Emotional support. It’s not exactly a treatment, but anyone who is depressed needs the support of family and friends. Talk about what you’re feeling. Try joining a support group. This will give you a chance to meet other people who are going through the same things you are.

Many people will use a mix of treatments. For instance, you might try therapy along with an antidepressant medication. Some studies show that combining these two approaches can be better than either one alone.
Right now, you might feel pretty hopeless. But feeling that way is a symptom of depression. There are a lot of effective treatments out there. If you and your health care provider work together, you can feel like yourself again.

Information for Pregnant Women
Depression can happen to women who are pregnant or who have recently had children. In fact, about 10% of all expectant mothers, and one in eight new mothers, develop depression. Some women may also develop a type of psychosis that may threaten their health or their baby. Depression during or after pregnancy is a serious condition that requires treatment by a health care professional.

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