Depression in Norway

1. Depression in Norway By Jørgen and Philip

2. What is depression • Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well being. • Typically, people with depression find it hard to go about their day to day activities, and may also find that life is not worth living. • It is a chronic illness that usually requires long term treatment.

3. Diagnosis • Major depressive disorder (MDD, also called clinical depression ) where a person has at least two weeks of depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities and a chronic depressed mood.

4. Symptoms • Somatic symptoms include: • fatigue, weakness, change in appetite, reduced sex drive, change in weight, insomnia • Psychological symptoms include: • Feeling sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritated, hurt or restless

5. Causes • Biological: • Monoamine hypothesis (Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Dopamine), thyroid disease, Unstable circadian rhythm, Genes, • Psychological • Low self-esteem, negative emotionality, life events, seasons (winter), • Social • Environment, child trauma, alcohol, drugs, stress, excessive work • Evolutionary • Social rank

6. Depression in Norway • SAD – Season affective disorder • Long winter, lack of sunlight • 1/3 Norwegians experience depression at one point in their life. • 1/3 of people getting unemployment benefits get it because of mental diseases • Most common in the cities • Most common in females • 500-600 people commit suicide each year. (number 33 on the suicide statistics worldwide) • Costs Norway 180 billion CZK a year (most expensive disease)

7. Treatment • Self help groups • Alternative methods • music therapy, bright light therapy, exercise, yoga, acupuncture etc. • Cognitive behavioral therapy • Suicide watch and admission to an institution • SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) • Anti-depressive medication, common due to its mild side effects and their lesser toxicity in case of an overdose • Increases the extracellular level of serotonin by inhibiting its reuptake into the presynaptic cell, causing a higher concentration of serotonin in the synaptic cleft available to bind the postsynaptic receptors. • In extreme cases electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) • Creates small seizures in anesthetized patients • Only used in extreme cases (e.g. suicide attempts and if the patient is not responding to other treatment)

8. Important factors for solving the problem. • Information • Awareness • The reason why more women than men are diagnosed with depression is because it is more likely for women to go and get help.

9. Sources • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood) • http://www.aftenposten.no/helse/Depresjon-koster-Norge-mest-5586846.html#.Ul1kXGQpYaM • http://www.fhi.no/eway/default.aspx?pid=239&trg=List_6212&Main_6157=6263:0:25,5767&MainContent_6263=6464:0:25,5768&List_6212=6218:0:25,5775:1:0:0:::0:0 • http://www.klikk.no/helse/doktoronline/psykiskhelse/article500128.ece • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8933.php • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder#Nordic_countries • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_serotonin_reuptake_inhibitor • http://www.ssb.no/a/kortnavn/dodsarsak/tab-2012-10-19-01.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroconvulsive_therapy