Learn more about NIMH research areas, policies, resources, and initiatives. Over 40 research groups conduct basic neuroscience research and clinical investigations of mental illnesses, brain function, and behavior at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Learn more about research conducted at NIMH. Explore the NIMH grant application process, including how to write your grant, how to submit your grant, and how the review process works.
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Contribute to Mental Health Research. Being sad is a normal reaction to difficult times in life. But usually, the sadness goes away with a little time. Depression is different—it is a mood disorder that may cause severe symptoms that can affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or working.
Depression is more common among women than men, likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors that are unique to women. This brochure contains an overview of five things that everyone should know about depression in women. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. Depression symptoms can interfere with your ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy your life. Although researchers are still studying the causes of depression, current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Most people with depression need treatment to feel better. The truth is that most people who experience depression need treatment to get better. If you are a friend or family member of a woman with depression, you can offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement.
But never dismiss her feelings. Encourage her to talk to her health care provider, and remind her that, with time and treatment, she can feel better.
If you think you may have depression, start by making an appointment to see your health care provider. This could be your primary doctor or a health provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions for example, a psychologist or psychiatrist. Certain medications, and some medical conditions, such as viruses or a thyroid disorder, can cause the same symptoms as depression.
A health care provider can rule out these possibilities by doing a physical exam, interview, and lab tests. Your health care provider will examine you and talk to you about treatment options and next steps.
Communicating well with your health care provider can improve your care and help you both make good choices about your health. Read about tips to help prepare and get the most out of your visit. For additional resources, including questions to ask your health care provider, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Sadness is only a small part of depression. Some people with depression do not feel sadness at all. A person with depression also may experience many physical symptoms, such as aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems.
Someone with depression also may have trouble with sleeping, waking up in the morning, and feeling tired. If you have been experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms for at least two weeks, you may be suffering from depression:.
Talk to your health care provider about these symptoms. Be honest, clear, and concise—your provider needs to know how you feel. Your health care provider may ask when your symptoms started, what time of day they happen, how long they last, how often they occur, if they seem to be getting worse or better, and if they keep you from going out or doing your usual activities.
Some health conditions may cause depression-like symptoms. For example, hypothyroidism is known to cause a depressed mood in some people. Mono can drain a person's energy.
When health conditions are diagnosed and treated by a doctor, the depression-like symptoms usually disappear.
Getting enough sleep and regular exercise often has a positive effect on neurotransmitter activity and mood. Daylight affects how the brain produces melatonin and serotonin.
These neurotransmitters help regulate a person's sleep—wake cycles, energy, and mood. When there is less daylight, the brain produces more melatonin. When there is more daylight, the brain makes more serotonin.
Shorter days and longer hours of darkness in fall and winter may lead the body to have more melatonin and less serotonin. This imbalance is what creates the conditions for depression in some people — a condition known as seasonal affective disorder SAD. Exposure to light can help improve mood for people affected by SAD. The death of a family member, friend, or pet sometimes goes beyond normal grief and leads to depression. Other difficult life events — such as when parents divorce, separate, or remarry — can trigger depression.
Whether or not difficult life situations lead to depression can depend a lot on how well a person is able to cope, stay positive, and receive support. For some people, a negative, stressful, or unhappy family atmosphere can lead to depression. Other high-stress living situations — such as poverty, homelessness, or violence — can contribute, too. Dealing with bullying , harassment, or peer pressure leaves some people feeling isolated, victimized, or insecure.
Situations like these don't necessarily lead to depression, but facing them without relief or support can make it easier to become depressed.
Life is full of ups and downs. Stress, hassles, and setbacks happen but hopefully not too often. How we react to life's struggles matters a lot. National Institute of Mental Health. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Atypical features in depression: Association with obesity and bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders. Stress and relaxation techniques: What the science says. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Milaneschi Y, et al. Genetic association of major depression with atypical features and obesity-related immunometabolic dysregulations.
JAMA Psychiatry. What is depression? American Psychiatric Association. Accessed July 16, Depression and complementary health approaches: What the science says. Haynes PL, et al. Social rhythm therapies for mood disorders: An update.
Current Psychiatric Report. Using dietary supplements wisely. Peer support. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Find support.
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