Page 1.
Depression has many elements. Almost everyone has experienced depression in one form or another. Sometimes, however, it becomes a full-scale disorder that needs to be professionally treated. "It is estimated that at any given time three to four percent of the nation's population will be suffering from a major depressive or manic episode," (2, p. 649).
"Depression can result from any chronic or severe illness and is a common reaction to stress and disability," (5, What Type of Thinking Can Cause Depression?). People with physical handicaps are "more prone to depression" (4, p.42) because they often think and worry about their loss or disadvantage. "Lacking true intimacy with God, yet desiring it, can also lead to depression, particularly if the person uses a standard defense mechanism of blaming God for everything that goes wrong,"(4, p.21). .
A depressive may sometimes have a very negative view of themself. A lot of times they "see themselves as a bad person and blame themselves for events over which they had no control," (6, p.4). Decreased physical and mental energy, a chronic low mood, and a lowered self-attitude are major points to a depressive. "Medical science has proven that resentment-anger turned inward-contributes to the very real biochemical changes that characterize severe clinical depression," (4,21). Depression is probably the most common and can last from one full day, up to several weeks, or longer.
Page 2.
Bipolar Disorder is like a roller coaster.up one second, down the next. This disorder has very intense mood swings with "possible remissions and recurrences,"(5, Manic Depression;Bipolar). A person with Bipolar Disorder will sometimes show tons of optimism. They will take unnecessary risks, then they will promise everything, and may even end up giving everything they own away.