Free Essay Example - History of Depression

Depression can be categorized as one of the most common mental disorders that affect all societies as well as age groups. Depression was initially identified as melancholia by Hippocrates in 460-370 BC. Melancholia was then defined as fear or sadness that lasted a long time. Other symptoms identified as part of melancholia include despondency, aversion to food, irritability, and restlessness. However, Hippocrates did not view this condition as independent but instead linked it to other disorders such as delusions and anxiety. In regards to delusions, Hippocrates identifies melancholia as a delirium without fear such that it was more of a mix of nameless fears and anxious concerns (Horwitz, Wakefield & Lorenzo-Luaces, 2016).

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The Hippocratic definition rarely focused on the external causes of melancholic disorder as the founding principle was that health was a state of equilibrium within the body. Therefore, disorders were identified as a result of an imbalance in the body. For the Greeks, mental disorders were viewed in terms of four elemental humors; phlegm, blood, yellow, and black bile, which had different properties of either cold, hot, dry, or moist (Horwitz, Wakefield & Lorenzo-Luaces, 2016). Melancholia was then defined as a causeless sadness that is created from excess black bile. Although the condition had a physical basis, there was an imbalance of the humor and emotional stimuli that contributed to an elevated state of melancholia (Grob, 2012). However, the Renaissance ushered in a new comprehension of melancholy such that the definition shifted between the magical, alchemical, religious, mystical, and demonological as well as the natural explanations that are linked to Galenic thought. For instance, Persian philosophers and physicians, from 800-1000 CE, recognized depression as a mood disorder and treated it with cognitive techniques (Grob, 2012).

In the late seventeenth century, melancholy was redefined to include words such as spleen, hypochondria, vapors, and hysteria now denoted the disorder. The new adjustment reflected the latest scientific attempt to investigate nature instead of uncritically accepting the wisdom of the predecessors. The late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw the slow replacement of melancholy with a more modern concept of depression that shifted from the definition of a disorder of the intellect to an affective disorder related to the moods of an individual (Grob, 2012).

Theories of Depression

Throughout the centuries, different psychologists have tried to provide an accurate definition of depression that would cover all essential aspects. For instance, Victor Frankl and Rollo May associated depression to lack of meaning and the inability to construct a future, and Sigmund Freud, in his only journal in regards to depression, suggested that melancholia was related to mourning and loss. However, he also gave a distinct difference between grief and melancholia by stating that although grief created a deviation from usual attitude, it is overcome with time, unlike melancholy (Horwitz, Wakefield & Lorenzo-Luaces, 2016).

All definitions demonstrate that depression is a result of an internal imbalance of hormones. For instance, Maslow links depression to the inability to fulfill the self-actualization potential. Additionally, Albert Ellis (1913-2007) and Aaron Beck (1921-present) suggested that depression is related to harmful and unrealistic thoughts about self, others, and the world. Ellis further points out that the irrational beliefs of people with depression tend to take the form of absolute statements such as "I must be completely competent in everything I do, or I am worthless" (Nemade, 2020)

Definition of Depression

The majority of the people associate depression with sadness even though, in most situations, depression is more than just sadness. According to the American Psychologist Association (2020), people with depression may experience more than just sadness to include a general lack of interest as well as pleasure in daily activities. The patients may also experience a myriad of feelings from the fundamental inability to concentrate on extreme recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Cesar and Chavoushi (2013) noted that depression could be defined as a mental condition that is characterized by severe feelings of despair and inadequacy. They further added that this condition is usually accompanied by a lack of energy and interest in the daily activities of life.

Though depression may be marked by sadness, it is entirely different from sadness. Sadness is a healthy and universal human emotion that includes feelings of mournfulness, gloominess, and uncheerfulness. Furthermore, grief is often accompanied by a loss, such as saying goodbye, losing something, ending a relationship, or even the demise of a loved one. Though sadness is a deviation from typical attitude and feelings, it is a healthy emotional reaction that often forces one to slow down, solve problems, and re-evaluate life (Andrews & Thomson, 2009).

Sadness and depression share common similarities that can be easily identified by the physician. The most basic and essential is that in both sorrow and depression, the individual is unable to feel happy all the time. Sadness is a reaction to a grieving period, such as saying goodbye to a departed person. During this time, the individual is unable to feel happy as the notion of being left behind saddens them. Similarly, depressed people are unable to experience happiness due to a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness, or excessive guilt which are usually constant in depression.

Symptoms of Depression

From the definition, depression can be characterized by a negative mood, which is also referred to as sadness, loss of interest in usual activities, Pessimism, social withdrawal, low energy, as well as Unrealistic negative thoughts about self and the future. Depression can also be moderate, mild, or severe, depending on the number, intensity, frequency, and duration of symptoms. Aside from these common symptoms, other symptoms such as fatigue, sleeping difficulties, or sleeping too much and unusually increased or decreased appetite.

Differences between sadness and depression

Though sadness and depression are different conditions, they have numerous instances where they overlap. For example, persistent sadness may result in depression. Furthermore, grief is less severe as compared to depression such that it disappears with time and readjustment in lifestyle or the current condition and does not need medical attention. On the other hand, depression requires an individual to seek medical help by attending therapy or taking medication. Sadness is also limited to time such that the individual is bound to get over their grief after some time (Leventhal, 2008).

Sadness is considered as a healthy and inevitable condition in human life that creates an opportunity for restructuring, solving as well as adjusting to a troublesome circumstance. Though sadness may be a devastating condition for the individual, it slowly fades with time, and the individual can return to a usual attitude and behavior. However, depression is not limited to time as it only gets worse with the commencement of time. When not addressed early, depression may advance from mild to severe, which is often denoted by recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical treatment early before depression advances to a critical phase.

Sadness has some evolutionary value, letting us know that our basic needs are not satisfied. Sadness often alerts the individual that there is a need to make adjustments in various aspects of life. For instance, feeling sad due to failure to achieve a specific goal may prompt a person to re-strategize and create new solutions that will help them achieve the given target. On the other hand, depression does not necessarily have an evolutionary value as it may have been chronic. Furthermore, depression is often the result of the individual losing interest in basic routines of the day such that the person is not motivated to make any adjustments or modifications to their lives or to improve their situations.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Major Depressive Disorder, also identified as MDD, is a medical diagnosis of depression that lasts for two weeks or more. This condition affects daily functioning and has a severe impact on sleeping and eating patterns. MDD is a common diagnosis, as 1 in 6 people will experience a depressive illness during their lifetime (Beyondblue, 2015). MDD is a complex disorder as some clients may recover quickly from it and most recover within the first six months. However, 20% will remain depressed for two years or more, while 50% of those diagnosed with MDD will relapse. Furthermore, some people suffer from acute episodes for short periods. Moreover, therapy is mostly advisable for this condition as individuals who receive therapy relapse at a much lower rate than those treated with medication (Beyondblue, 2015).

Causes of Depression

One of the most significant causes of depression is the presence and persistent stress and traumatic life events. Stress and trauma may arise from a personal loss of essentials such as employment, family, friends, environment, possessions, a sense of control, or even hope. Personality styles such as not asking for help or being dishonest about feelings combined with the existence of the genetic risk whereby one or more of the family members have previously or are suffering from depression may be a causal factor for depression. Drug and alcohol use can also result in biological changes in the brain that directly occur in depression. Similarly, depression can also lead to drug and alcohol use.

Coping with Depression

Depression is usually associated with biological changes, but this does not mean that depression is caused by physiological changes that happen in the brain. These changes are associated with abnormal (usually low) levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. As a result, the counselor may try to identify and address the cause of the imbalance. For instance, if the client is depressed because they are unable to move past a specific traumatic event, the counselor may help by helping the client to identify why he or she cannot move past the event before helping the client to find ways to move forward. However, if the case is severe, the counselor can refer the client to a clinician who might describe medication such as serotonin, which helps with sleeping rhythms, anxiety, and appetite. The clinician may also recommend Dopamine which helps with regaining attention, motivation, pleasure, and reward. In extreme cases, the clinician may recommend Norepinephrine, which helps with alertness, energy, concentration, and interest.