Depression has these main symptoms:

• Low mood level or sadness.

• Lack joy or interest in activities that was joyful before.

• Pessimism.

• Feel of guilt of something without any substantial reason to feel so.

• Irritability

• Slowness in the thought process

• Slowness in interpreteing sensorial stimuli.

• Slowness of digestion or other internal physical processes, and symptoms caused by this slowness, for example inflated stomack, constipation or difficulties by urination.

• Slow physical reactions.

By depression there is a decrease in the amount of neurotransmittors in the central nervous system, mainly cerotonine deficiency, or the nerve cells do not react properly by stimulation from neurotransmittors. A neurrotransmittor is a signal substance that transmits the nerve signal through the junctions between two nerve cells. This deficiency causes a general slowness in the nervous system and this again causes the depressive symptoms.

The symptoms of mania

Mania is a complex of symptoms that are the opposite of depression. By mania there are symptoms like:

Depression and mania as a manfestation of the same basic diseases

The symptoms of mania and depression often alternate with each other, and sometimes some of the symptoms of manie occur together with some of the symptoms of depression. Therefore these to syndroms are often regarded as different faces of the same diseases, called depressive disorder, or simply depression.

The changes in the brain by depresion

By depression there is a decreased amount of neurotransmitters in parts of the central nervous system, mainly deficiency of serotonin, but also to some extend of noradrenalin, acetylcholine, dopamine or gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), or the nerve cells do not react properly by stimulation from neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a signal substance that transmits the nerve signal through the junctions between two nerve cells.

Serotonin and noradrenalin cause nerve cells to send impulses along to other nerve cells, and thus increase the activity in the brain. Deficiency of these substances causes slowness in parts of the brain, and that again causes the depressive symptoms.

The role of GABA is the opposite, namely to slow down some nerve impulses, mainly those causing anxiety and panic response. Lack of GABA causes higher anxiety and easier panic response. Yet, lack of this transmitter also seems to cause depressive symptoms. This is because a too high activity in some brain processes may slow down other processes.

There are many causes and subtypes of depression with different physiological mechanisms involved.

Types of depression or depressive diseases

Mono-polar depression  

Mono-polar depression is a disease where depression is the main symptom complex. The symptoms can be very serious and making a person totally diabled mentally and also physically. The symptoms have a tendensy to improve sponatanously  and reoccur at a later time.

Dysthymia (Dsysthymic disoder) 

This is a disease where the depressive symptoms predominate, but not in a serious degree. The symptoms are however occuring over a very long time without changing.

Bipolar depression  

This is a disease where the symptoms are swinging between depression and the opposite: a heightened mood level and an increased acrtivity. If this increased activity is of serious level, it is called manic. Bipolar depression or bipolar disorder was formerly called manio-depressive disease.

Cyclothymia (Cyclothymic disorder)

This is a disease where there is alternation between depressive symptoms and manic symptoms, but not in a serious degree. The symptoms are however occurring over a very long time without changing.

Manic disorder

This condition is characterized by abnormally elevated mood, by unrealistic optimism, by lack of sleep and by hyperactive behaviour. Many psychiatrists think that this disorder is simply the same disease as bipolar disorder where the depressive face has not yet occurred.

The causes (ethiology) of depression

Depression from stress and straining 

Depression may simply be a result from psychological stress, physical struggle or mental straining without proper rest over a long time period.

The straining will simply wear out the nervous system or deplete the organism from nutrient neccessary for the nervous system to work properly.

This kind of depression can sometimes simply be treated with a period of rest, by slowing down the activity level and by furnishing the body with extra nutrients. However, this kind of depression  my be more complicated and serious, and may also require specific medical treatment.

However, the modern society is in great extend guilty of producing this type of depression by exposing both adults, children and teenagers for stressful surroundings and stressful demands, and by hindering people from getting the rest they need to avoid and depression from exhaustion.

To say it even more clearly: Employers and schools are simply guilty of making both adults and children sick from depression.

If you suspect you or your children are depressed because of the demands form school, work or the society as a whole, it can be necessary not only to reconsider your own life style, but also free yourself or your children from many of the demands from society.

Postnatal depression

Women will often have a period of depression after pregnancy and berth of the baby Pregnancy and berth is physically and mentally exhausting, and may drain the body for nutrient. This in turn can cause depressive symptoms.

Seasonal affective disorder

Depression can occur in cold and dark periods of the year and go away in warm and light periods. Light stimulates brain activity, and lack of light is a causative factor.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is nutritional in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.