What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that with “depressed mood” as its main symptom. Clinical depression is classified by two or more weeks of depression symptoms. Physical symptoms include sleep disturbances, loss or increase in appetite, fatigue, and headaches or digestive problems that are not explained by other physical conditions (psychosomatic). Behavioral symptoms would be loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, difficulty concentrating, neglecting responsibilities and personal hygiene, constant “sad” feeling, hopelessness, and thoughts of suicide.  Depression is more commonly diagnosed in women than men, but it is hard to decipher if this difference is due to gender or to the fact that woman are more likely to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment as compared to men. Depression can be brought on by stressful life events, trauma, and even the changing seasons. Biologically, it is caused by the imbalance of the neuro transmitters serotonin, norepenephrine, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are the chemicals released by the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that regulates  stress, sleep, body temperature, appetite, and sex drive).