Depression and how to overcome it? - Doctor Explains

In this video we will discuss depression and how to treat it?
This video is part of a video series on mental health problems. So for more mental health related videos check out this playlist:

What is a depression?
Google describes a depression as feelings of severe despondency and dejection.
However, you and me would probably describe it as feelings of persistent sadness.

A depression is a serious mood disorder. Depressions are diagnosed by doctors and psychiatrist based on several criteria from a diagnostic manual. The DSM-5. In order to diagnose a depression someone needs to have 5 or more of the symptoms associated with it in that diagnostic manual during the same 2-week period.
Of these symptoms at least one should be either a depressed mood most of the day or a loss of interest or pleasure. Other possible symptoms might be:
- Significant weight loss or weight gain,
- Slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement,
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate
- And recurrent thoughts of death.

In addition, to receive a diagnosis of depression, these symptoms must cause the patient significant distress or impairment in his or hers personal, social and/or occupational functioning. And these symptoms can’t result from a substance abuse or another medical conditions. They need to be caused by the depression itself.

Co-occurring medical conditions:
Anxiety, substance abuse, ADHD, PTSS, personality disorders, functional somatic syndrome and/or cardiovascular disease.

How is a depression caused?
Unfortunately this is still unclear, however it is believed to be caused by a combinations of factors. Biological ones (like genetic predisposition), psychological factors (like negative life experiences such as childhood trauma) and social factors (like socioeconomic status).

Epidemiology:
About 2% of the global population has a depression at this exact moment. However, during your entire life there is a 8-18% change you will develop a depression at one point. Although this hugely varies per country. As an example you lifetime risk is about 7% when living in Japan to about 21% when living in France.

Possible treatments options:
- Change your cloths at least a few times a week, shower regularly, maintain a tidy home and workspace and keep a structured sleeping schedule. Try to wake up and go to sleep at fixed times, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and try to avoid sleeping during the day. In addition it is often helpful to plan and fill your days. This gives purpose and helps with structuring them. When making your schedule make sure to do some activities outside your house. Sometimes a small walk can be enough. Next up follow a healthy diet. Eat enough vegetables and vitamins and drink about 1,5-2L of water a day. Lastly, try to stay in touch with your loved ones, your friends, family and colleagues. Maintaining social contacts could contribute positively to your mental health.

- Cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy aims to help you understand your behavior and thoughts in order to change the way you behave and feel. It also helps you to analyze events from your past, which might have an impact on the present. And lastly it aims to help you challenge negative thoughts and feelings to slowly overcome them.

- Other forms of psychotherapy could also be helpful, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and/or counseling.

- Antidepressants, like SSRI’s orTCA's.

- Brain stimulation therapies, like Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

- Disclaimer: this video and the comments are meant purely informational! This is not medical advice! If you are looking for medical advice always contact your own doctor. -

I want to give special thanks to my sponsors on Patreon:
- Sebastian Houwing: Investor
- Roel: Supporter

Literature:
1: Truschel J. (2020). Depression Definition and DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria. Psycom.
2: NHS. (2019). Treatment - Clinical depression.
3: Mayoclinic. (2018). Depression (major depressive disorder).
4: NIMH. (2019). Suicide Prevention.

Music:
1. Verified Picasso, Fish Room
2. Patrick Patrikos, Good Times
3. Patrick Patrikos, Grut
4: Patrick Patrikios. Rockville

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[brendensipple]

Thank you Dr for the video. I’ve had severe chronic depression for years now and no medicine has helped me yet but I realized if I went ab it in a natural way then it could improve everything. Like I quit smoking cigs, weed, quit taking pain killers. Started to exercise more and I noticed replacing negative activities with positive ones it does give me short term relief. I just want a permanent fix

[brendensipple]

The last 5 months my life has been terrible. I wake up don’t work and smoke weed 5-6 times a day and watch YouTube and video games…. I’m 22 years old too… I do absolutely nothing productive from day to day and it’s not because I don’t want to it’s because I simply don’t have the motivation too

[harrynixon]

Thanks for a great video. I'm in the UK and have been reading about the emerging use of high dose psilocybin in helping treatment resistant depression (trials are underway in USA and UK). I'm interested that, in a country where magic truffles are legal, you don't mention psilocybin. Do you use it as a therapy in Holland? Thanks

[manicuristangmakupad]

Hi sir im from philipine i have postpartum depression i take escitalopram for more than 2 months and i stop it because icant comeback to the psychiatrist its very xpensive i dont have enough money to sustain and now i dont know my feeling im not on my self i have 3 children 6months old my youngest can you help me.

[brendensipple]

What ab ketamine therapy ?? It’s been gaining a lot of popularity and has about a 80-85 percent success rate which is way higher then your typical antidepressants