Understanding The Signs And Symptoms Of Depression And How To Prevent It

Depression is one of the most common illnesses in the UK. There are around 5% of the population suffering with depression at any one time. Meaning that 5 out of 100 people are suffering with depression of some form. Depression is usually diagnosed through therapy and counselling. Language is therefore the main tool in diagnosing the illness.

Symptoms of Depression

The symptoms of depression can present themselves as a feeling of grief and sadness that lasts for hours, days or weeks. A very low threshold for crying, a lack of ability to enjoy things that you enjoyed in the past e.g. food and drink, sports, sex and relationships. An example would be like having a bite of your favourite meal and then having no satisfaction in it. Guilt is also present, especially about the past.

There are vegetative symptoms, which appear as constantly being exhausted. Sleeping a lot or not able to move. People with depression tend to wake up early and struggle to go back to sleep, even though they might be exhausted. Disruption in sleep, either sleeping a lot or hardly sleeping can be a sign of depression.

When these symptoms are present, the stress hormone cortisol is released. This can lead to anxiety as people start to worry about what is happening to them and if they will ever get better.

What Might Cause Depression

Stress

Stress or long term stressful episodes are correlated with major depression across your lifetime. If you experience 4-5 stressful episodes across your lifetime, your risk of major depression goes up. Short-term stress e.g. days or weeks will not increase your likelihood of depression.

There is a genetic predisposition for some people to be more susceptible to depression. If you have this gene, it increases your risk but it does not mean you will suffer with depression. With each bout of long-term stress, the probability of having depression goes up; however, it goes up significantly higher if you carry this gene.

Inflammation

Inflammation has also been shown to play a role in depression. Inflammation effects the release of serotonin in the brain. Inflammation is broadly a good as it is the body’s process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries and toxins. However if the inflammation is chronic, meaning it lingers for too long, it will start to have a detrimental effect on the body. This has been shown to effect the release of serotonin in the brain.

How To Treat Depression

Pharmaceutical Medication

There are some drugs that help relieve the symptoms of depression. They go by different names e.g. Sertraline, citalopram or fluoxetine. These are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRI’s for short. These work by allowing more serotonin (known as the happiness molecule) to stay in the brain. They do no increase the amount of the molecule, rather they increase its effectiveness. There are some studies, which have shown that a third of people who take SSRI’s for depression do not improve. They can have varying effects on people and their efficacy can change over time.

Reducing Inflammation

There is a strong suggestion that increasing the intake of essential fatty acids (EPA) in the form of omega 3 can reduce inflammation. There are some studies, which have shown the results are as effective as taking an SSRI drug. The recommended dose is around 1000mg or 1g per day. Scandinavians are known to increase their intake of fatty fish during the cold dark months when they are more susceptible to depression or depression like symptoms.

Ingestion of 1-3 portions per day of fermented foods will decrease inflammation. An example of fermented foods are kimchi, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and probiotic yoghurts. (We will be creating a separate blog about probiotics)

Exercise

Exercise has also shown to a positive effect on the release of serotonin in the brain. Aerobic as well as resistance exercise have shown signs of increased levels of serotonin.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate supplementation has been shown to increase mood and reduce the symptoms of depression. Studies have shown a low dose of 1-5g of Creatine can have the desired effect. However, people with kidney disease should be cautious and as always consult your doctor before taking any supplements.