Exercise and Depression

For many years now, physicians and psychologists have conducted research on various side effects of depression. A study conducted by Dutch researchers on 5,952 twins studied twins and their family members. According to the lead researcher, Marleen H.M. de Moor it has been discovered that there is no effects of excersing on the patients suffering from depression. He further stated that exercise is a positive suggestion but it does not reduce the signs of depression.

Defining Depression

Depression can be defined as an ailment that occurs within the body of patients. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there are five different types of depression:

Postpartum depression:

It commonly occurs in women who have given birth and is common after a month of delivery.

Psychotic depression

Psychosis becomes apparent in the form of hallucinations and delusions in this condition.

Major Depressive Disorder:

It is also known as major depression.  It affects the individual’s ability to study, work, eat and sleep.

Dysthymic disorder:

It is considered as long term of less serious signs and symptoms but happening repetitively.

Seasonal Affective Disorder:

It is caused due to the reduction of sunlight, which is treated with medication, psychotherapy and light therapy.

In addition to above-mentioned types of depression, NIMH also describes bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness. In this condition, an individual goes through the extreme highs or lows within their mood cycles. This illness leads to irrational behavior and a patient is treated with psychotherapy and medical treatment.

Depression and Symptoms

Though the symptoms of depression depend upon the type of depression an individual has been diagnosed with, there are few common symptoms of depression that are given below:

• Suicidal thoughts
• Feeling anxious
• Feelings of sadness and emptiness
• Restlessness
• Pessimistic attitude
• Continues pains and aches, digestive issues or cramps
• Over eating
• Suicide attempts
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Feeling of guilt and helplessness
• Excessive sleeping
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Inability to make decisions
• Decreased energy
• Loss of interest in sexual activities
• Feeling of hopelessness

Treating Depression

Individuals suffering from depression should seek the medical attention to get timely treatment. Depending upon the condition of patient, doctors may give the therapy or prescription drug to him.

Commonly anti depressants are given to the patients suffering from any type of depression. Use of anti depressants stables the chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin. A new class of anti depressants is known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Following are the few common SSRIs available in the market:

• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Sertraline (Zoloft)

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) belong to the same group of medication. SNRIs include the following:

• Venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

According to NIMH, SNRIs and SSRIs are some of the most popular anti depressants because they have few side effects as compared to older anti depressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Causes of Depression

According to researchers at the NIMH, there are several causes of depression including following:

• Biochemical factors
• Psychological issues
• Genetic factors / Hereditary
• Environmental factors

However, they are the common causes of depression, it can be caused due to other reasons also. There are certain medicines, which may cause depression. For example, Chantix, a drug used for the termination of smoking. Pfizer introduced it to the market in May 2006. This drug has been prescribed to three million Americans.

In November 2007, FDA received 37 cases of suicides and 400 cases of depression in connection with the use of Chantix. In 2008, Pfizer updated all the labels of Chantix.