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Depression—Factors, Symptoms, Prevention and the Role of Open Journal of

Depression

Article in Open Journal of Depression · January 2014

DOI: 10.4236/ojd.2014.31002

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Open Journal of Depression
2014. Vol.3, No.1, 3-4
Published Online February 2014 in SciRes (http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojd) http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojd.2014.31002

Depression—Factors, Symptoms, Prevention and the Role of

Open Journal of Depression
Stanislava Y. Stoyanova
South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Email: [email protected]

Received November 15th, 2013; revised December 26th, 2013; accepted January 8th, 2014

Copyright © 2014 Stanislava Y. Stoyanova. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Com-
mons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, pro-
vided the original work is properly cited. In accordance of the Creative Commons Attribution License all Copy-
rights © 2014 are reserved for SCIRP and the owner of the intellectual property Stanislava Y. Stoyanova. All
Copyright © 2014 are guarded by law and by SCIRP as a guardian.

The data for the spread of depression in several countries are presented. The differences in occurrence of
depression among some social categories of population are discussed. The symptoms and the forms of
depression are described in brief, as well as several factors contributing to depression. The role of Open
Journal of Depression is related to some possibilities for coping with and preventing depression.

Keywords: Depression; Mood Disorders; Coping

Introduction and other people. Depression changes a big part of human life.
There are some somatic, behavioural and emotional changes
Human health is among the most important values in all so-
related to depression. The depressive person suffers from lowe-
cieties (European Values Study Group and World Values Sur-
ring of mood, sadness, anxiety, reduction of energy, decrease in
vey Association, 2011). That is why every striving for impro-
activity, loss of appetite, weight loss or weight growth, changes
vement of human health (including by means of study of de-
in libido. Interest, concentration, and motivation are reduced,
pression) is respectable and highly estimated.
but helplessness and indecisiveness are increased. Tiredness
Depression is a kind of mood (affective) disorders. It could
after even minimum effort is common. Sleep is disturbed (the
be mild, moderate or severe, recurrent (repeated), psychogenic
or reactive (World Health Organization, 2010). There are some typical problem is waking earlier in the morning several hours
differential peculiarities in the forms and development of de- before the usual time). Appetite is diminished. Self-esteem and
pression. self-confidence are reduced. Some ideas of guilt or worthless-
Depression is one of the most frequent diseases. It influences ness are often present, as well as feeling rejected and alone
about 20 million Americans each year (National Institute of (World Health Organization, 2010; Info Center for Mental
Mental Health, 2013; Mental Health America, 2013; University Health, 2006).
of Maryland Medical Center, 2011) and between 5% - 10% of There are a lot of reasons for depression—unemployment, fi-
the population in Brazil, Germany, and Turkey (Info Center for nancial problems, social isolation, stress, crisis situations, con-
Mental Health, 2006). Its spread in the other countries is prob- flicts with the relatives, friends, colleagues, and institutions,
ably similar. More and more different groups in the societies physiological and hormonal processes related to heredity, etc.
suffer from depression. The age boundaries of this illness widen (Izard, 1977: 272-289). Depression is even related to the season
among the elderly people (Büchtemann et al., 2012; Bose & changes, especially to the spring and fall (Info Center for Men-
Neelakandan, 2013; Wood et al., 2010) and youth (Tezvaran, tal Health, 2007a). Such events are inevitable and mainly un-
Akan, & Zahmaciog, 2012; Cole et al., 2012), but depression is controllable in human life. Everyone has different tolerance to
more typical for the people advanced in age (about 50 years old) their occurrence, but the interaction of several factors often is
than for the young people (Wood et al., 2010; Patten, Gor- crucial for development of depression. In many cases, the own
don-Brown, & Meadows, 2010). The representatives of differ- efforts are not enough to overcome it.
ent kinds of occupations also experience this disorder in some High depression is associated with high maladaptive coping
moment of their life—even the doctors (Galán-Rodas et al., and low social support (Thorsteinsson, Ryan, & Sveinbjorns-
2011). Women suffer more by depression than men do (Bü- dottir, 2013). The uncontrolled attempts to overcome depres-
chtemann et al., 2012), but men commit a suicide at least three sion could lead to some forms of drug abuse. That is why the
times more often than the women do and 2/3rds of the suicide role and assistance of psychologists, psychiatrists and other
acts are due to depression (Info Center for Mental Health, specialists is important in our society. The treatment of depres-
2007b). sion is complex. It includes some medicines, psychotherapy,
Depression is related to suicide ideas and attempts, to dimi- and the possible changes of the way of life and the environ-
nished efforts in work and study, to decreased interest in life, ment.

OPEN ACCESS 3
 S. Y. STOYANOVA

Moderate physical activity is important in preventing de- Línea Base. Revista Peruana Medicina Experimental Salud Publica,
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tionship with the level of physical activity in a patient at the family
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support and patience, encouraging the positive outcomes and Info Center for Mental Health (2006). Depresia [Depression].
doing the things that one likes. http://mh-center.info/Files/Newsletter/Public/0e8ec3ec9012b3d2d11
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pressions of sympathy, support and care for suffering people; to Info Center for Mental Health (2007a). Bipoliarno Afektivno Razstro-
help the estimation of the degree of risk and the acceptance of istvo [Bipolar affect Disorder].
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Journal of Depression is to increase the number of the presented http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2209-0
topics related to depression, the number of the co-operating au- Mental Health America (2013). Depression: What you need to know.
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