People worldwide suffer from depression, and medical professionals may routinely encounter patients with this mental health disorder. If you’re a registered nurse who wishes to earn a degree in order to become a nurse practitioner or work in nursing management, it’s important that you understand depression and how it may affect a patient’s emotional and physical health.
Nursing school students learn about the range of issues affecting patients today, including mental health issues. Find out what you need to learn about patients with depression and how online nursing schools offer great options for earning your master’s degree in nursing.
Understanding Depression
There are plenty of misconceptions about mental health disorders, and they can be a barrier to treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 300 million people worldwide suffering from depression, making it the leading cause of disability.1 The National Institute of Mental Health defines depression as a common but serious mood disorder causing severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating, and working.2 Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
When patients arrive at a hospital or medical facility, they often see a nurse before they see a doctor, so it’s important that nurses understand the different forms of depression and how to spot the signs. Forms of depression include persistent depressive disorder, postpartum depression, psychotic depression, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder.