let's shift Focus to depression and bipolar disorder these conditions affect millions of people worldwide and understanding them is crucial for providing effective care depression is characterized by persistent feelings of deep Despair and hopelessness individuals may experience a lack of energy fatigue and difficulty concentrating or making decisions as compared to the normal condition depression is linked to reduced levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin norepinephrine and dopamine there are several subtypes of depression first Seasonal effective disorder sad typically occurs in specific seasons for example during the winter months when daylight hours are shorter people experience this type of depression more frequently postpartum depression affects new mothers and can include severe mood swings and exhaustion after childbirth it often leads to feelings of sadness anxiety and hopelessness which can make it difficult for mothers to care for themselves and their newborns symptoms can also include trouble bonding with the baby changes in appetite or sleep patterns and overwhelming fatigue individuals with dysemia often experience a persistent low mood feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem unlike major depression the symptoms of dysemia are less severe but more enduring lasting for at least 2 years this long-term condition can affect daily functioning making it hard for individuals to enjoy life or maintain regular routines and often requires long-term treatment and support to manage effectively treatments for these types of depression often include medications that either prevent these neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed or stop them from breaking down in the spaces between nerve cells in simpler terms these medications help keep the chemicals that affect mood active in the brain for a longer time which can improve symptoms of depression as you may recall from the video on anxiety selective serotonin reuptake Inhibitors ssris can increase the amount of serotonin in the brain leading to better mood hence SSRI medications such as Citalopram marketed as Celexa ESET talopram marketed as Lexapro fluoxitine marketed as Prozac perotin marketed as paxel and ceraline marketed as Zoloft can be used to manage both anxiety and depression serotonin norepinephrine reuptake Inhibitors snris block the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine by increasing the levels of both neurotransmitters snris can address a wider range of symptoms associated with depression and anxiety snri medications such as venlafaxine with the brand name fexor or duotine with the brand name as simbala are commonly employed in the management of depression tricyclic anti-depressants tca's amitryptiline with the brand named elal are an older class of medications still used in some cases lastly two other anti-depressant medications bupropion marketed as Wellbutrin XL and trazodone marketed as desel are also employed in depression symptoms management another special subtype of depression is bipolar disorder which involves severe emotional highs known as Mania and lows known as depression bipolar disorder is caused by a deficiency of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin norepinephrine or dopamine and an excess of norepinephrine and possibly other neurotransmitters in addition to using some anti-depressant medications treat treat for bipolar disorder often includes medications containing lithium ions to regulate neurotransmitter Levels by stabilizing these neurochemical processes lithium helps to manage both Manic and depressive episodes making it a Cornerstone in the treatment of bipolar disorder we focused on depression and bipolar disorder depression is ongoing deep sadness and hopelessness bipolar disorder is a roller coaster of extreme highs and lows anti antidepressants mood stabilizers SSRI snris ssnr are important treatments for these disorders