Major Depression Disorder - Overview

Major depression disorder is also referred to as unipolar depression, major depressive disorder, or simply major depression. For the purpose of this page, these terminologies will be used interchangeably.

Patients suffering from major depressive disorder continue to feel low, sad, and depressed for extremely long periods of time, ranging from several weeks to months. What starts off as a constant feeling of loneliness ends up crippling patients emotionally and psychologically.

A couple of the main causes of major depressive disorder include biological factors and stress. Initially, stress-related reasons work as causes for major depression disorder, and, sometimes, the first and second episodes of major depression might be triggered by stress. However, subsequent episodes of depression that follow usually have an element of genetic predisposition to the condition - people with a family history of depression are at a slightly higher risk of getting affected by it.

Of course, several serious stress factors, both personal and professional, like the death of a loved one, disability, disease and illness, losing a job, inability to handle pressure at the workplace, etc, contribute significantly to triggering depression in persons.

Biological factors include a significant decrease in certain chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Most of these chemical substances and neurotransmitters control brain chemistry and handle signal transfers among neurons. When there is an imbalance in these chemicals, depression could result.

Major depression disorder typically occurs between ages of 25 and 45, and the number of cases of women suffering from major depression is higher as compared to men. The duration of one major depression episode can last anywhere between six to ten months.

It has also been noticed that even untreated episodes of major depression last for this period of time, and slowly afflicted persons recover from this mental condition. However, it is always advisable to seek professional help and ensure that the affected person is relieved of all physical and emotional symptoms. As persons suffering from major depression tend to contemplate suicide, friends and family should never take chances and delay diagnosis and treatment.

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Useful Depression Resources