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What is Depression – Causes and Symptoms, and Treatment of Depression

Most people mistake unhappiness for depression. Although it could be one of the signs, it’s not entirely an indication of it. Depression, in medical terms, refers to an illness that originates from mood, body changes, and thoughts. This disease affects how you eat, sleep, and feel about yourself.

Collectively, this mental health problem is usually referred to as major depressive disorder, which is the most severe type of depression. Being a disease that impacts many aspects of self, recognizing or acknowledging it can be challenging. Therefore, in this article, you will learn the causes, signs, and treatment of depression.

Major Causes of depression

Depression causes range from biological to circumstantial. This means some causes are linked to your nature, and others depend on things like environment and events. These include family history, childhood trauma, brain structure, or drug use.

To clarify, if a family member has ever been depressed, chances are high that you might develop it. With childhood trauma, happenings in your past childhood can trigger depression symptoms. And for medical conditions, things like chronic illnesses, pain, or ADHD can lead to depression. Lastly, a history of drug use can also increase the likelihood of developing depression.

These causes can vary depending on factors like the degree of effect, self-care, and influence of others. More so, these aspects can also influence the signs of depression.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

It’s worth noting that these symptoms will vary depending on things like gender or age. However, general symptoms that are common across the board include the following.

A sudden increase or decrease in appetite for food should be a significant concern to you. In most cases, it could be a sign of depression. This appetite changes lead to eating disorders like eating junk or failing to eat anything. As a result, one starts to lose or gain weight, which affects them physically and mentally. Since eating disorders are severe medical conditions, they can be a prerequisite to major depressive disorder.

Mild sadness is normal. It could result from a bad day at work or annoyance from a loud neighbour. However, when it gets to the state where it affects your thoughts or interaction with others, it could be a sign of depression. Mainly, these feelings give rise to other symptoms, such as anxiety and antisocial behaviours. When you notice these patterns, you should seek help or try to trace the triggers and avoid them.

Suicidal thoughts culminate in feelings of worthlessness, pessimism, guilt, and sadness. When overwhelmed with these moods and feelings, they tend to lose the meaning of life and get convinced that death is the way out. With the help of a psychiatrist, these feelings can be suppressed and replaced with more positive thoughts to promote recovery.

Sleep is essential to our mental health. People suffering from depression find it hard to sleep or stay awake. Again, healthy people might develop depression if they have poor sleeping habits. Therefore, it’s essential to watch your sleeping habits if you want to lead a better life. This is because sleep affects other areas, such as memory, learning capabilities, and accelerated ageing.

Treating Depression with ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) treats depression by encouraging individuals to accept their emotions and thoughts without judgment, rather than trying to avoid or suppress them. The therapy focuses on helping people identify their values and commit to actions aligned with those values, even in the presence of difficult emotions. ACT teaches mindfulness techniques to increase awareness of the present moment, fostering psychological flexibility. By cultivating acceptance of painful experiences and focusing on meaningful goals, individuals can break free from the cycle of rumination and negative thinking that often accompanies depression.

Top ACT Websites with Valuable Resources

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that encourages people to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting against them. If you’re seeking effective resources to understand and apply ACT in their lives, here are some excellent websites that offer valuable information and tools. These websites are packed with resources, worksheets, and helpful articles that can support clients on their therapeutic journey.

1. The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)

Website: https://contextualscience.org

The ACBS is the global community for those practicing and researching Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The site features a variety of resources including workshops, training opportunities, research articles, and a list of ACT therapists. It’s a great resource for both clients and professionals to learn more about ACT, with free downloadable resources and access to upcoming events.

Key Resources:

2. The ACT Matrix

Website: https://www.theactmatrix.com

The ACT Matrix is a simple, yet powerful tool for understanding how we can develop psychological flexibility. This website offers free resources to help individuals, clinicians, and coaches use the ACT Matrix model to better understand the core principles of ACT. It includes client-friendly guides, examples, and downloadable materials to make learning ACT more accessible.

Key Resources:

3.  Steven C. Hayes

Website: https://stevenchayes.com

Created by Steven C. Hayes, one of the founders of ACT, this website offers a wealth of information for clients and professionals alike. The site includes tools, articles, and books to help individuals struggling with psychological challenges to embrace their thoughts and feelings, leading to greater personal growth.

Key Resources: