Depression
Introduction
Depression refers to a state of dispirited mood and distaste for activity, which can affect the thoughts, well being, feelings, and behaviour of an individual. People suffering from depression may feel anxious, sad, worried, hopeless, irritable, restless, or guilty (Taub, Maino & Bartuccio, 2012, p.111). Such individuals may lose curiosity in activities that they previously found gratifying, overeat or feel a loss of appetite, have trouble concentrating or recalling certain details, and may consider or try to commit suicide. Treatment resistant problems such as fatigue, excessive sleep, sleeplessness, bodily pains, and general body weakness may occur.
Pathophysiology of the Illness
Recent findings have significantly increased the knowledge of pathophysiology of depression. Depression can be life threatening and it affects millions of people globally. It is not age specific and it causes austere misery and disturbance to life. If left untreated, this condition can be lethal. The psychopathological state includes a raft of symptoms, with dispirited moods, fatigue, and anhedonia. Other symptoms such as guilt, suicidal tendencies, psychomotor disturbances, low self-esteem, as well as gastrointestinal and autonomic disturbances, are also evident. Depression is not a singular disorder, but a multifaceted phenomenon with several subtypes, and possibly more than one etiology (Bakken, Obiakor & Rotatori, 2012, p. 37). Despite the improved understanding of its pathophysiology and treatment, the condition remains relatively highly prevalent.
Presently, the gist of major depressive disorder involves a clinical course, which is typified by one or several depressive episodes with no record of hypomanic, manic, or mixed episodes (Yatham & Kusumakar, 2009, p. 20). For a proper diagnosis, five of nine symptoms must be continuously present for a period of at least two weeks. These include significant appetite or weight alterations, depressed mood, hyposomnia or insomnia, fatigue or loss of vigor, psychomotor retardation or agitation, lack of self-esteem, diminished capacity to concentrate or think, suicidal predispositions, and loss of interest.
Nursing Management
It is often difficult to care for a person suffering from depression. The role of a nurse requires training, patience, and determination, but in the end, it could prove crucial to a person’s recovery. However understanding and informed the nurses and doctors may be, it is not possible to offer round the clock care to monitor every little change in a patient’s mood or behaviour. In addition to the self-imposed isolation, emotional numbness, and persistent gloominess, the state of mind of a depressed individual can be difficult to comprehend (Yatham & Kusumakar, 2009, p. 20). The patient may reject offers of help. The nurse must understand and know the best ways of dealing with such difficulties.
The caregiver should start by talking to the patient about his/her feelings and problems. It is important to listen, even if what the patient says is untrue or misguided. Insipid and unfounded reassurances should be avoided. The caregiver should always try to observe things from the patient’s perspective, since it is difficult to change their moods through logical reasoning. In addition, the nurse must never forget to reassure them of the effectiveness of the medical treatment. It is worth noting that frequent monitoring and evaluation of the patient’s progress are key in the management of depression.
Community Resources
Improving care for depression patients in low-income communities, especially in places where help is often unavailable, provides greater assistance for those in need. Community groups, including churches and special groups may assist in leading the planning process (Franklin & Fong, 2011, p. 338). Compared to approaches that offer purely technical support in improving depression care, a community-led planning effort has the potential to improve a patient’s mental health, decrease hospitalization, and increase physical activity.
Research suggests that depression patients receiving help from the community as part of efforts to meliorate depression care are able to handle themselves better. They become more stable and show reduced risks of experiencing a personal crisis. Incorporating several community groups in planning the treatment of depression, and offering training to tackle depression jointly across community and healthcare agencies, can prove very effective (Franklin & Fong, 2011, p. 338). One valuable approach that can be employed involves the provision of culturally sensitive outreach and technical support. In this approach, the community works together with shared authority in decision making to provide depression services. Community members can help in identifying the places where depressed individuals seek assistance, and in looking for ways of providing support for depression in these places.
Conclusion
The best way of treating depression is to become as knowledgeable as possible. The severity of depression is a very important factor in its treatment. The more severe it is, the more rigorous the treatment should be. It might take time to discover the treatment that works effectively for a patient. Even though medications may relieve depression symptoms, long-term use should be discouraged (Bullock, Clark & Rycroft-Malone, 2012, p. 124). Research indicates that alternative treatments, such as therapy and exercising, can be as successful as medication if not more, and do not come with undesired side effects. It is important to remember that social connections are important in keeping depression at bay. All the aforementioned treatments take time, and the patients may occasionally feel overwhelmed or frustrated. This is normal, since recovery typically has difficulties.
References
Bakken, J. P., Obiakor, F. E., & Rotatori, A. F. (2012). Behavioral Disorders: Identification, Assessment, and Instruction of Students with EBD. Bingley, UK: Emerald.
Bullock, I., Clark, J. M., & Rycroft-Malone, J. (2012). Adult Nursing Practice: Using Evidence in Care. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Franklin, C., & Fong, R. (2011). The Church Leader’s Counseling Resource Book: A Guide to Mental Health and Social Problems. New York: Oxford University Press.
Taub, M. B., Maino, D. M., & Bartuccio, M. (2012). Visual Diagnosis and Care of the Patient With Special Needs. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Yatham, L. N., & Kusumakar, V. (2009). Bipolar Disorder: A Clinician’s Guide to Treatment Management. New York, NY: Routledge.
