Major Depressive Disorder

People who suffer from major depressive disorder have a constant sense of hopelessness and despair and it can be difficult for them to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy friends and activities.
Symptoms of major depressive disorder might include:

• Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day.
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day.
• Impaired concentration, indecisiveness.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day.
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others).
• Restlessness or feeling slowed down.
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
• Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month).

According to DSM-IV you have to suffer from at least 5 of the symptoms listed above for at least a two-week period.
Risk-factors

• Being a woman (they think more about things than men)
• Having biological relatives with major depressive disorder
• Having a traumatic experience
• Having few friends
• Recently having given birth (postpartum depression)
• Having certain personality traits, such as having low self-esteem and being overly dependent, self-critical or pessimistic

Causes

Biological Factors: Major depressive disorder tends to run in the families, so if someone if your family has it, it is more likely that you will have it, too. Hormones also play a huge role because they make our moods more unstable so there is a bigger chance to suffer from the depression.

Cognitive Factors: How a person interprets life events can be a major factor in the tendency to become depressed. Overly negative views of the self (low self esteem), and pessimism about the future can play an important role. The combination of anger and feelings of helplessness are often found at the root of depressive episodes. Hopelessness and lack of control may also contribute.

Environmental Factors: Social difficulties, such as death, divorce, financial problems, and other stressful life events can trigger depression. Compounding stressful events can make depression even more likely.

Treatments

 There are many ways to treat major depressive disorder, and research has shown the most effective treatments are cognitive, interpersonal, or behavioral therapy, as well as antidepressant medication. Cognitive therapy focuses on recognizing, challenging, and overcoming how one thinks of a situation. It helps the person to think about the situation differently. Interpersonal therapy focuses on helping relationships. Behavioral therapy focuses on changing behaviors, such as exercise to help the patient. Antidepressant medication is medication that changes brain chemistry, and is often used with other forms of therapy. Usually multiple forms of treatment are used at the same time. Faith-based and self-help strategies can be helpful for people who are highly motivated. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also called "Shock Treatment," is a remedy of last resort for those with severe depression.