Major Depressive Disorder - Single episode

Major Depressive Disorder - Single Episode

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Single Episode is a type of mood disorder. Millions of people worldwide suffer from depression, and many factors can contribute to it. These may include a genetic predisposition, current or past stressful situations, and/or other illnesses that increase the risk for depression, such as cancer or diabetes.

Understanding depression

There are three common types of depression, and treatment usually looks different for each:

• Dysthymia: Ongoing, low-level depressive symptoms
• Major Depression, Single Episode: A one-time period of moderate or severe depressive symptoms
• Recurrent MDD - Two or more periods of moderate or severe depressive symptoms

There are many effective treatments for MDD, Single Episode, including psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. Such treatments usually facilitate a return to normal life.

It is good to be prepared that it may take some time for one's clinician to identify the best medication, but for many struggling with depression, just being on the journey towards feeling better can offer hope.

When someone doesn’t feel like themselves, it is normal for them to worry that they never will again. Although this is a very legitimate concern, there is no reason to assume this will be true.

Some people experience a depressive episode and, with medication and therapy, recover and never have another bout with depression. Others have multiple episodes of depression and need to take medication for a long period or even throughout.

What it looks like

Some of the common symptoms of MDD include:

• Having a sad mood
• Sleeping much more or much less than usual
• Eating much more or much less than usual (which can sometimes lead to unintentional weight gain or loss)
• Having difficulty with the demands of daily life, like work and family
• Extreme fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Loss of enjoyment in activities
• Laughing less often or never
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Some describe depression as feeling like their “tank” is empty. Others report feeling insignificant - like they don’t matter. Many individuals with depression no longer enjoy the things that used to make them happy. Some say they can’t imagine being happy again. Individuals with depression may tend to interpret events in their lives through a very negative lens, which can lead to difficulty in their interpersonal relationships.

Many people with depression blame themselves for not being able to “snap out of” their depression. But, depression is no one’s fault. Blaming oneself for their depressive symptoms is like blaming themselves for having asthma or migraines. Having depression is nobody’s fault.

Managing MDD

When a depressed person feels better as a result of medication, therapy, or circumstances, they might assume they are cured, and stop taking their medication after a few weeks. The illusion of being “cured” is enticing, and it is common to feel well when depression is being treated. But, oftentimes ongoing treatment is necessary, even when the depression is managed. This approach is different from taking an antibiotic for a week for an infection and achieving a complete recovery.

It is important to distinguish whether signs of improvement are a response to treatment or the elimination of the depressive episode. In the case of MDD, if the medication is working and helping the individual, this is a positive indicator of its effectiveness rather than a sign that the underlying depression is gone. An important clue is the proximity of the improvement to the onset of treatment. Many individuals who start a new antidepressant may start to feel better within a month. Partnering with one’s clinician to make decisions about starting, stopping or changing a treatment plan is a best practice.

Outlook

While living with MDD can present unique obstacles, and finding the best treatment may take several tries, the right treatment can dramatically improve an individual’s quality of life. Most people who are properly diagnosed and treated gain transformative results. In fact, people who have received medical treatment for their depression often say that starting an antidepressant was one of their most important decisions. With treatment, people with MDD can feel and function better, and gain hope for the future.

In good company

Many public figures have come forward to share their own struggles with depression, including actor Duane Johnson (“The Rock”), singer Katy Perry, actress Kristen Bell, and many others. People with depression are not alone in their feelings.

The current thinking on what causes MDD

In the past, doctors have explained depression as a “chemical imbalance.” This may make it seem like depression is similar to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, and that fixing the deficiency will provide a simple fix. Unfortunately, depression is complicated, and it’s unclear whether the imbalance causes depression, or the depression causes the imbalance, or other factors entirely. And what’s more, there is disagreement over whether there is a biological predisposition for the imbalance or it gets triggered by environmental factors. Most likely, it’s a combination of both. In support of the “chemical imbalance” argument is the concept that medications that act to increase brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, or norepinephrine often make depressed people feel better, sometimes rather quickly.

Substance abuse is a known risk factor for depression, and individuals who are dependent on alcohol or illicit drugs may have an increased risk for developing depression. Sometimes other disorders increase the risk for depression; for example, people who suffer from anxiety often are more likely to be depressed than non-anxious people.

Life situations can lead to depression in some cases, such as getting fired from a valued job, a spouse or partner deciding to leave the relationship, or the person being in a major car accident. Money problems and stress are also crises leading to a depressed state in many individuals.

Depression may also be genetic, and it is often said that it “runs in families.” If one’s parent or sibling has depression, it puts them at increased risk for having an episode. But, it is a complicated issue: Some people have many depressed family members and never develop depression. In contrast, some individuals are not aware of any family history of depression, yet they develop it. Researchers continue to study depression, its causes, and new treatment options for this common condition.