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Psychotic Depression About twenty five percent of all the people hospitalized for depression are suffering from psychotic depression. The difference in this form of depression and just depression are the symptoms. The people with psychotic depression suffer from the symptoms of depression plus other symptoms too. There may be signs of psychosis, like hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there), or delusions ( irrational fears or thoughts). Those with psychotic depression are aware of these symptoms, unlike those suffering from schizophrenia (who are not aware of their symptoms), and may be ashamed of the symptoms and try to hide them. Those with psychotic depression have a higher risk of bipolar disorder, recurring bouts of psychotic depression, and possibly suicide. Some of the symptoms of psychotic depression are: anxiety, psychosis, agitation, hypochondria, insomnia, physical immobility, constipation, and intellectual impairment. Psychotic depression requires a longer hospital stay and close follow-ups from a health professional. Antidepression medications and antipsychotic medications are the most effective in lessening the symptoms. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may also be used in some cases. Treatment is very effective for psychotic depression and the patient is usually able to recover within a year but continued medical followup is sometimes necessary. It is very important that the person experiencing these symptoms is properly diagnosed because treatment is different than other depressive disorders. Chances of suicide is much greater in patients with psychotic depression. There are over twenty five million adults and eight million children suffering from some form of depression so if you are suffering from depression, you can see that you are not alone. There is help available and there is no reason why you should be ashamed of being depression. Researchers believe that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and possibly certain events set off the beginning of depression. It is believed that the hormonal changes in women plays a major part in causing depression. Many women suffer from depression while they are pregnant, after childbirth (post partum depression), during menopause, during puberty, after the loss of a loved one, and other major events in their lives. Twice as many women suffer from depression than do men but men tend to turn to alcohol and drugs instead of getting professional help. The women are more apt to seek the help from their doctor. Some people try to hide their depression and get through it alone and others are not aware that depression is what their problem is. They might feel different than normal but do not know what their problem is so they try to ignore it. The number of depression cases has doubled in the past fifteen years. If you are having symptoms of depression, seek the help of your doctor so they can diagnose the problem and get treatment started as soon as possible. All Text Copyright © Safety2005.org |
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