There are many illnesses which have been known to cause much confusion in people, especially in recorded history, such as depression. This disorder was suffered by historical figures such as King David and Job (from the Hebrew bible). Hippocrates even mentioned having depression, which was then contemporarily known as Melancholia, caused by the excess of ‘black bile. Old medical physiologyy stated there were four humours based on the four main bodily fluids black and yellow bile, blood and lastly, phlegm. For years to come, depression was portrayed in arts and literature. what do we understand about depressive disorder today?

Depressive disorders have been around for centuries, and many people have suffered without getting diagnosed and the necessary treatment. Today, there is more awareness about the disorder, even though millions are still unaware they have it. For some people, it is still embarrassing to reveal that they suffer from this illness and they don’t want to accept it themselves. Depressive disorders are made up of different types, like a lot of other illnesses. The more familiar types known to people are Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, and Dysthymia.

In Bipolar a patient has depression as well as mania cycles. In Major Depression, the symptoms include feeling sad, not being able to eat and sleep properly, inability to cope with work and finding life less enjoyable. Their lives are upset greatly. Dysthymia is not as severe as Major Depression, although there are long term symptoms and a person can experience major depressive episodes. Whilst there is no cure, there are good treatments and medications to help patients stabilise and control any episodes. Their quality of life becomes better.

Many symptoms are present in Depressive Disorders. Anyone with Bipolar can experience all these symptoms during a cycle of depression. During a cycle of mania, only symptoms to do with the cycle are felt.

The following is a list of the depressive symptoms experienced by Bipolar patients:

. Ongoing anxiety, sadness and of ‘feeling empty’

. Losing interest and pleasure in activities or hobbies that were once very enjoyable

. Insomnia or a tendency to oversleep

. Eating more and gaining weight

. Loss of appetite, with weight reduction

. Thoughts of suicide and death

. Lack of energy and fatigue

. Feeling restless and irritable

. Unable to make decisions, loss of concentration and memory

. They feel physical symptoms: digestive disorders, muscular aches and pains, more headaches.

Not all the symptoms are experienced by Bipolar patients. There may only be a few from the list, whilst there are those who get many of the symptoms. Symptoms vary for each person with many degrees of severity.

An individual needs to have a proper psychological and physical evaluation, so that suitable treatment can be organised. A doctor will carry out a full interview asking many questions, with a physical examination and laboratory tests to rule out any other possibilities. Sometimes depressive symptoms can be brought on by other illness or side effects of medication that are taken for other conditions. This is important for any person so that the correct type of depressive illness is determined.

The evaluation is diagnostic in looking at the patient’s medical history, the symptoms they experience, and for how long. Questions will be asked to find out the severity of what they feel, and if they have experienced certain symptoms. The doctor will also need to know if you have been treated before for the same symptoms and the medications you were prescribed. A Bipolar patient will also be asked whether they use alcohol or drugs, which can influence how they feel, or any thoughts they have had on death or suicide. Looking at the family’s medical history is important to determine any causes.

A person’s mental status can be affected by the Bipolar Depression symptoms. Their memory, speech and also their thought pattern can also be assessed in an evaluation to see how they have been affected. It also helps to speak to the patient’s spouse, partner or close friend who knows them to see how they have changed. X-rays and blood tests are not required in mental disorders. Medical, detailed scans such as CT, MRI, PET and SPECT are unable to detect brain changes of patients with Bipolar or, in fact, any other mental illness.

A doctor who specialises in this field, is able to evaluate the state of a Bipolar patient’s mind properly. The correct treatment along with medication can then be prescribed to help the patient as soon as possible to control the episodes, and lead a normal life. For the individual, their symptoms may be normal for them, but treatment is necessary for their wellbeing. It can be alarming for others when they see a person at the height of their depressive illness, for example if they do things to the extreme. They may be seen as insane.

You should always see a doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms to determine the cause. Looking at the major symptoms of Bipolar can help, as any symptoms no matter how few, can indicate that you could be suffering from Bipolar.



Thanks to Abhishek Agarwal for contributing this article to our Depression blog:

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