Depression is a common condition that affects various people due to various factors derailing them from achieving what they have set out to do. Depression as a psychological condition may have a significant impact on human growth and development in many ways. In the learning institutions, learners are constantly struggling with depression as well as its manifestations which can ultimately impact severely on learning process in addition to hampering social interactions among the students. Depression is usually a condition that is contributed by a myriad of factors which will be discussed in this essay. Besides, depression manifests itself in numerous symptoms which can range from mild to extreme depending on how well this condition is managed. The article will further explore some of the treatment and management options that are available to persons with depression to help alleviate the negative implications of this disorder.
Definition of Depression
Depression, commonly known as a major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is considered one of the most common mental disorder in the United States of America. According to Bufka and Wright (2016), about 15.7 million adults in America which represent almost 6.7% of all US adults are reported to have had at least one episode of depression. Depression refers to a syndrome or a cluster of physical, emotional as well as behavioral symptoms which are characterized by low self-esteem, sadness, loss of pleasure as well as difficulty in functioning (Pinsky, nd). If these symptoms persist for two weeks or more, they may end up causing suffering since they interfere with day to day activities. Persons who are at this stage are said to have clinical depression (Pinsky, n.d). As per Bufka and Wright (2016), depression may further be defined as an extreme despair or sadness which may persist for many days and which eventually interferes with an individual’s daily life in addition to causing pain.
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Symptoms of Depression
Depression can manifest itself in a person with several symptoms. These symptoms include the lack of pleasure and interest in one’s normal and daily activities which were previously considered pleasurable and interesting. Furthermore, there is a tendency for individuals with depression disorder to either loss or gain weight significantly. In addition, people with depression may have insomnia where they fail to sleep or in contrast find themselves sleeping excessively. Moreover, there is a likelihood of depressed individuals to lack energy to do their normal activities as well as manifest short concentration spans in these tasks (APA, nd). Furthermore, pains, headaches, digestive problems and cramps that do not seem to go away even with treatment are other common signs of depression (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2016). To add to these, individuals who are experiencing depressive disorders have a tendency of feeling worthless, unwanted, guilty which may cause them to have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death.
Causes of Depression
Research into the causes of depression reveals that depression does not only spring from having either excessive or limited specific brain chemicals or chemical imbalance in the brain but other factors. However, according to Harvard Medical School (2017), depression may have much more possible causes which include vulnerability due to one’s gene structure, ineffective mod regulation by the brain, life events that are considered stressful, medical problems as well as medication an individual is exposed to. The research further suggests that all these mentioned factors may act in combination to further cause depression in an individual (Harvard Medical School, 2017). Moreover, there are millions and even billions of chemical reactions that take place in the brain making up a dynamic system tasked with moods and perceptions that determine how one experiences life and if interrupted one can get depression. According to Harvard Medical School (2017) In addition, genes are said to control one's brain, and it is these genes that make proteins which are used in biological processes. A failure for these genes to make the right proteins eventually leads to mood destabilization which in turn causes depression.
Psychological Implications of Depression on Learning and Social Interactions
Depression can have both short and long-term consequences on an individual’s learning process as well as his or her social interactions. These kinds of implications tend to hamper an individual normal functioning in his or her environment.
Learning Implications of Depression
Learners in a learning institution are constantly faced with tight deadlines, examinations, as well as interpersonal conflicts which cause much tension, as well as interpersonal conflicts, are events that may contribute to high levels of stress. Research which has been conducted in the last two decades according to Vogel & Schwabe (2016) reveal that human learning and memory are highly related to stress caused by the release of neurotransmitters that are freed after and during a major stressful event which contributes to both human learning and memory. According to Vogel & Schwabe (2016), recent research indicates that stress could interfere with memory updates by inducing a shift from a cognitive form of learning which is considered flexible into a rather rigid ‘habit like’ behavior. Further depression in learners is linked to missing of classes, dropping out of courses or units and failure to do assignment and evaluation tests which act as a major contributor to poor performance (Vogel & Schwabe, 2016). As a result of the pressures that learners face in the school of environment, they accumulate a lot of pressures which are manifested through depressive disorders which hamper their ability to learn.
Social Implications of Depression
Human beings are social beings that have a profound need to consistently connect with others as well as to gain significant acceptance into these social groups. However the affective, as well as the motivational, affective profile which is associated with depression, can influence one's feeling of belonging which may influence their well-being (Auerbach, 2015). Depressed people have a tendency to imagine that they are less likely to get cues of belonging and acceptance to the groups. According to Auerbach (2015), as a result of this perception, reports indicate that depressed people usually fail in their efforts to satisfy the need for belonging in a particular relationship. In addition, depressed individuals have fewer intimate relationships as well as eliciting fewer positive and caring responses as compared to the many negative and rejecting responses from other people (Auerbach, 2015). This, in turn, has the ability to reduce their future attempts further to try and make out meaningful relationships with others unless interventions are made.
Treatment Options for Depression
Depression has many implications both socially and academically, and there is a need for proper treatment options so as to alleviate its adverse effects on individuals and the people they interact with. The available treatment choices in the market for treatment and management of depression medications, therapy or the combination of the two. According to the NIMH (2016), failure of these two methods to reduce the symptoms may require electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as well as brain stimulation therapies. Medications used for treating depression are usually the antidepressants which may help improve the way the brain uses chemicals meant to control one's moods or stress. According to (NIH 2016), three is needed for a patient to try several antidepressants until they identify the one that works best.
In addition, antidepressants usually take 2 to 4 weeks before they actually work to reduce the adverse effects of depression which mean that one has to give them a chance before choosing the best option. According to the Institute of Mental Health (2016), psychotherapy which is the other treatment option which is called referred to as “talk therapy” can be of great help to people with depression. Psychotherapy which is of counseling may take the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), problem-solving therapy and interpersonal therapy (IPT). In the case of the failure of psychotherapy and medications, a depressed individual has the option of using brain stimulation therapies which come in handy in providing relief to individuals with severe depression.
Prognosis of Depression
Prognosis of depression is good for the majority of cases, but it is only achievable when an individual is undergoing treatment for depression. However, according to Croft (2016), depression that is untreated does not usually go away on itself and may get worse with time. Besides, untreated depression may be terminal and may contribute to the primary cause of suicide in depressed individuals. In as much as depression is considered quite a far-reaching illness, it is possible to get treatment especially for the individuals who decide to get treated (Croft, 2016). It is, therefore, vital for affected individuals together with their immediate family and friends to look for intervention measures to help the affected individuals.
Southwest Florida Depression Facilities
In Southwest Florida, various facilities are available for dealing with depressive disorders cases. They include:
Park Royal Outpatient Treatment in Naples (239)529-4927
Park Royal Hospital in Fort Myers (239) 288-0713
Postpartum Depression-Park Royal (855)999-1841
Southwest Florida Counselling Centre (941) 548-1254
In conclusion, depression can be considered as a severe mental condition which is fuelled by extreme sadness and events that are considered too stressing to an individual. Symptoms of depression range from insomnia to oversleeping as well as the lack of enthusiasm in activities among others. It is, however, possible to manage and treat depression using medication, therapy, and ECT. Depression can have adverse effects on both the learning and the social aspect of an individual, and it is, therefore, important for the depressed individuals to get medical attention.
References
Bufka, L. & Wright, C. V. (2016). Overcoming depression: How Psychologists help with depressive disorders. American Psychological Association . Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/depression.aspx.
Auerbach, R. P. (2015). Depression in adolescents: causes, correlates and consequences. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2015/11/depression-adolescents.aspx.
Croft, H. (2016). Prognosis for depression. Healthy Place . Retrieved from http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/articles/prognosis-for-depression.
Harvard Medical School. (2017). What causes depression: onset of depression more complex than a chemical balance. Harvard Health Publications. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2016). Depression- teen depression study: understanding depression in teenagers . Retrieved from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml.
Pinsky, L. (n.d). Depression and Medication . Columbia: Columbia University Counseling and Psychological Service. Retrieved from https://health.columbia.edu/system/files/content/healthpdfs/CPS/depression_medication.pdf.
Vogel, S. & Schwabe, L. (2016). Learning and Memory under Stress: Implications for the Classroom. NPJ Science of Learning, 1 . doi:10.1038/npjsscilearn.2016.11.
