What is Depression?

"Inspire," by Art by Chrysti

What is Depression?

Everyone feels down once in a while, perhaps due to a week at work not going well or a problem in a relationship. Major depression, also known simply as "depression,", is an ongoing illness involving depression so severe and so chronic that it can take away someone's desire to enjoy time with friends, to get out of bed in the morning, or, in extreme cases, to go on living. Although when someone lives with depression, it can be a dark time for them and their loved ones, it helps to know that depression is due to a brain chemistry imbalance, and that the suffering of someone with depression is not due to laziness or weakness--someone can't "bootstrap" themselves out of it. The way out is through therapy: Medication, psychotherapy, and art therapy all can help ("I truly do believe that Art Heals," says artist Chrysti, who has bipolar disorder, of which depression is a component). Added to the support of one's loved ones, there are many paths to being well again.

In any given year, over 20 million American adults suffer from depression. Here are some ways to recognize depression:

Symptoms of Depression

• Consistently feeling sad, empty, or worthless
• Lack of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex
• Trouble sleeping and/or waking up
• Difficulty focusing during the day
• Unintended shifts up or down in weight
• Declining physical health
• Thoughts of suicide

Frequently someone with depression doesn't realize these symptoms might be the result of a medical condition. If you think you may have depression, talk to your doctor about it. If you are thinking of suicide, talk to a doctor immediately. They can help you get the care you need.

Treatments for Depression

If a doctor diagnoses someone with depression, he or she will usually prescribe some form of psychotherapy to treat it. Talking with a therapist can help someone work out the problems they find in their life, and can teach them to get better satisfaction from their relationships, jobs, and hobbies.

If someone has a more severe form of depression, a doctor may prescribe a medication called an "antidepressant." The most often-used type of antidepressants are the "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)," which help the neurochemical called serotonin to work better at transmitting signals in the brain. Some of these drugs are well-known, such as paroxetine (Paxil®), fluoxetine (Prozac®) and sertraline (Zoloft®). Although these can have some troublesome side effects to be managed, they are usually more minor than side effects from the older "tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)." This older class of drugs affects one's levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine together, and, although they can be just as effective as SSRIs, they tend to affect more brain areas not directly related to depression symptoms. When taking an antidepressant, you can work with your doctor to find the best dose to balance any side effects with the drug's benefits.

Usually the best treatment programs for depression use a combination of medication, for faster relief of the severest symptoms, and psychotherapy, for long-term emotional health.

New Discoveries in Depression Research Sponsored by the Music Festival for Mental Health

In the search for better treatments for depression, several scientists supported by the Music Festival for Mental Health are on the forefront. Dr. John Rush of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has conducted a study of sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns in children and teens with depression, and children/teens at risk for depression, and compared these to the sleep EEG patterns of adults with depression. He and his team discovered that the EEG patterns of several of the kids at risk for depression were similar to those of those of kids and adults who already had the illness. "This finding suggested that the sleep EEG might be a tool for detecting those at risk for but not yet depressed," says Dr. Rush.

Another depression study involving teens is ongoing at the UCSF Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute. Using a grant from the Music Festival, Dr. Elizabeth Ozer and her colleagues interviewed adolescents about how often their primary-care doctors asked them about their emotional health during routine visits. The teens reports showed that their doctors only asked them about 1/3 of the time, although about 1/4 of those in the interview tested positive for chronic emotional distress, scoring 7 or above on an 8-question survey. Based on these results, the institute is beginning research on how to reduce depression and high-risk behaviors in teens by improving the capabilities, and attentiveness, of their caregivers.

Dr. Ty Cannon of UCLA's CAPPS mental illness prevention center speaks at Music Festival 2005

And, two Music Festival-sponsored programs at UCLA are doing cutting-edge work in depression research: The new, interdisciplinary Center for Cognitive Neuroscience aims to to find the links between the genes responsible for illnesses like depression and how they manifest through the development of the brain into the feelings and thoughts we actually experience. At the CAPPS mental illness prevention center, scientists are discovering ways to identify and treat people at risk for depression before it can begin, keeping them healthy throughout their lives. You can learn more about these and other programs funded by the Music Festival for Mental Health on our research page.

Would you like to contribute to this research? You can join our festival to help find a cure!