Depression is a broadly known condition characterized by overall decrease in mood, lack of interest in life, sadness and low spirit. It generally has some reason or a triggering factor and is commonly known as a temporary state. Nevertheless, it can also be chronic with periods of improvement and repetition. In the latter case it bears the name of dysthymia. In this case it lasts for a prolonged period of time (i.e. years) and is a state when a person is completely normal and adequate but absolutely unhappy all the time.

It is generally some trauma or stress that induces the condition of depression but the triggers of chronic one are not known for sure. Some of the most probable factors are heredity, chemical imbalance and some severe stress. Chronic depression can be also evoked by the stresses of chronic illness such as Parkinson’s disease, hormonal disorders, some chronic cardiac conditions, and also AIDS. Chemical imbalance, or actually, the imbalances of neurotransmitters, can trigger the state of depression, too, as it has already been said. However, the latter case can be helped by administering some medications that correct this imbalance. What concerns hereditary, it is frequent that depression can be traced though the history of different members’ lifelines.

Depression can not be diagnosed by any laboratory tests, no blood tests or CT scan are suitable for the condition. It is just individual symptoms and complains that help to state the diagnosis. Dysthymia has got less severe symptoms that major depression and they are generally the following: sleeping problems, fatigue, lack of interest, feelings of guilt and despair, alternations in appetite patterns, troubles concentrating, suicidal and death thoughts, etc.

Depression, either chronic or temporary, can be treated. For this purposes a combination of psychotherapy and drugs is used. The former is of great assistant in finding solutions to the problems, when the latter helps to restore chemical balance and relieve sadness and low spirits. The following drugs can be prescribed for depression treatment: SSRIs, TCAs and MAOIs. They are really effective but should be administered only after doctor’s prescription and approval and under his or her supervision. They als