Symptoms Of Minor Depression, Arthritis & Depression

Q: Everyday worries seem to stack up when adults live with arthritis. But for people who have arthritis and depression, the pressures of living can become almost unbearable. "It very easily could be one in four people with (rheumatoid) arthritis has some form of depression," said psychologist Gail Wright. Wright researches the relationship between arthritis and depression at Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital. Between 14 and 27 percent of adults with rheumatoid arthritis are depressed, Wright explained, while only five percent of the general population exhibit the same signs. Individuals with the painful musculoskeletal condition fibromyalgia have higher rates of depression, though children with juvenile arthritis exhibit about the same rate of depression as others their age.

A:To physicians, depression is a mysterious condition. Its cause is uncertain, and the explanation of a link between depression and arthritis more nebulous still. People with arthritis and depression go through several stages on the way to better health. They come to the realization they are depressed Understand the cause of their depression Identify their type of depression, and Institue appropriate treatment. The stages and approaches are a little different for children with arthritis.The diagnosis and treatment of depression varies, often because the length of the illness and the different combination of treatment are unique to each person. "One problem is that people argue so much about the diagnosis of depression. It is hard to diagnose with paper and pencil instruments," Wright said. "Depression is harder to define than the measles." What is Depression? Depression manifests itself in many different ways. When psychologists discuss depression, they are referring to major as opposed to minor (or less significant) depression. Major depression prevents people from enjoying, or even participating in, their lives. To diagnose major depression, psychologists look for a series of symptoms that include anything from a general sad feeling to memory loss to thoughts of death. A list of the symptoms is published in the DSM III (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The first thing psychologists check when they see a patient is whether the symptoms of depression could be coming from a physiological source. Wright said there are some diseases which can cause depression. "When we get patients here that we think might have a medical problem, we refer them back to their doctor," Wright said. "That is the nice thing about being associated with a hospital. "Major depression is when a patient exhibits five or more of well-known symptoms for more than two months. Wright said depressive episodes can last for varying lengths of time.The tell-tale signs of major depression can mimic other psychological disorders. So, psychiatrists also have to ensure the symptoms are not caused by another psychological problem. If the patient only meets a few of the criteria, he or she may have minor depression. Minor depression exhibits fewer of the symptoms of major depression and is not as dehabilitating.

"But minor depression can be costly," Wright says. "If you have trouble going to work and dealing with your family, it can be very difficult." Dysthymia is a lower level of depression that lasts for more than two years. A bout of depression following a disturbing event also is rarely classified as major depression, even though the patient may have the same symptoms. The depression following the death of a friend or family member, for example, is seen by physicians as bereavement. A post-partum depression can follow the birth of a child. The depression that sometimes ensues immediately after learning about a serious disease is called adjustment disorder.