Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Psychology - Essay Example Depression hinders with normal routine and activities because it lowers down the functionality of body and mind thus causing a person to become dormant in his daily chores. An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) shows the difference between the brains of a normal and a depressed person, and tells that the depressed brain’s those areas do not function properly which are connected to activities of sleeping, eating, thinking, and behaving. Also known as major depression, the major depressive disorder tends to undermine a person’s capabilities to such an extent that he faces problems in sleeping, eating, studying, working, enjoying and socializing. Some people have only one episode of this disorder while many may experience recurrences. It is mild chronic depression. The symptoms prevail over years but they are very mild as compared to major depressive disorder. The person’s normal functionality and routine is not affected too much; however, he may feel unwell and stressed out at times. The more you are far away from the equator, the more likely you suffer from SAD. End of summers in places far away from the equator means dark hours and evenings and long nights. Thus, a person who develops depression symptoms in this time might have SAD. In Scandinavia, people undergo light therapy and take antidepressants to prevent SAD because winters are too long there. Depression is generally caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Bad incidents that imprint permanent negative effects on brain are a big cause of depression. Some illness like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), HIV/AIDS, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, and social phobia, also accompany depression. Drug addicts and alcohol consumers are at higher risk of developing depression. Depression also runs in families. Most common signs and symptoms of