Medical Health Encyclopedia

Depression

Other common forms of depression include:

• Postpartum depression -- many women feel somewhat down after having a baby, but true postpartum depression is rare.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) -- depressive symptoms occur one week prior to menstruation and disappear after you menstruate.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) -- occurs during the fall-winter season and disappears during the spring-summer season. Likely to be due to lack of sunlight.

Depression may also occur with mania (known as manic-depression or bipolar disorder). In this condition, moods cycle between mania and depression.

Depression is more common in women than men and is especially common during the teen years. Men seem to seek help for feelings of depression less often than women. Therefore, women may only have more documented cases of depression.

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Common Causes:

Depression often runs in families. This may be from heredity, learned behavior, or both. Even with a genetic predisposition, it is usually a stressful or unhappy life event that triggers the onset of a depressive episode.

Depression may be brought on by:

• Disappointment at home, work, or school (in teens, this may be breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, or parents divorcing)
• Death of a friend or relative
• Prolonged pain or having a major illness
• Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), cancer, or hepatitis
• Drugs such as sedatives and high blood pressure medications
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Chronic stress
• Childhood events like abuse or neglect
• Social isolation (common in the elderly)
• Nutritional deficiencies (such as folate and omega-3 fatty acids)

• Sleeping problems

References:

Moore D, Jefferson J.  Major Depressive Disorder. In: Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Mosby, Inc., 2004; 134-141.

Screening for Depression Recommendations and Rationale. US Preventive Services Task Force, Guidelines from Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: 3rd ed. Rockville, Md. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research; May 1, 2002.