Depression Analysis Using Machine Learning and AI
Depression has become one of the major global health concerns. Technology like AI and ML can be used to analyze depression data to provide better treatments to people suffering from different types of depressive disorders. Weβll discuss depression and the ML Python code used to analyze data. The changing lifestyle and social scenarios have brought many changes to our lives. We have access to too much information. We are way too connected with the virtual world, and the lines between real and virtual are blurring rapidly. While it sounds like a good thing to stay up to date and informed about anything under the sun, it also has severe side effects. The fast-paced world has resulted in a lot of anxiety and stress, leading to different psychological issues in people. Depression and poor emotional health are now among the major concerns across the globe. Thankfully, technology is coming to the rescue yet again. Machine learning engineers and researchers are working on analyzing depression in people to detect the symptoms at earlier stages and provide better ways to cope with mental health issues. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze datasets with depression-related data to deliver accurate and in-depth insights. Letβs understand what depression actually is and how ML can provide a feasible solution to help people with depression and make their lives happier. What is Depression? Depression is a serious mental illness that makes you feel sad, lonely, tired, or anxious. It makes you lose interest in things you previously enjoyed. Depression is a psychological disorder that increases negative thoughts and emotions, leading to other health conditions. It also reduces your productivity, alertness, and ability to think coherently. It affects how you think, feel, and act. Depression is a common condition seen in many people. Many times, people themselves donβt realize that they are in depression. Statistics show that around 3.8% of the global population suffers from depression. This includes 5.7% of adults who are aged over sixty years and 5% of adults aged less than sixty. To put it in figures, 280-310 million people have depression. Whatβs alarming is that more than 800,000 people commit suicide due to depression every year. Kids and teens are by no means safe from depression. The US is among the states with the highest depression rates around the world. Depression (Major Depressive Disorder, MDD) is commonly known as clinical depression. MDE (Major Depressive Episode) is a measure of time a person exhibits or has the symptoms of depression. Note that mood swings and short bursts of anger/ irritation are not considered depression. Different Types of Depression Depression is an umbrella term that covers more than one type of mental illness/ disorder. It can be classified into the following types: Anxiety/ Distress Anxiety is when you feel stressed and tense throughout the day. It brings negative thoughts about how things can go wrong or that something really bad will happen to you or your loved ones. So much worry takes over your mind and your thoughts. It also leads to anxiety and panic attacks. Agitation You feel uneasy and uncomfortable no matter what. You cannot relax and calm down. An agitated person has jerky movements and is constantly fidgeting or in motion. You cannot sit in a position for more than a few seconds. Some people also tend to talk a lot when agitated. It doesnβt make sense, but you canβt control it either. Melancholy Melancholy is intense sadness or emotional pain. It fills your mind to an extent where even good things donβt cheer you up. Activities you usually enjoy also fail to make you happy. Melancholy results in loss of appetite, sad thoughts, feeling down/ low in the mornings, disturbed and irregular sleep patterns, and suicidal thoughts. Persistent Depressive Disorder Persistent Depressive Disorder is when a person is suffering from depression for more than two years. It is a chronic condition where the person is highly vulnerable and susceptible to making harmful decisions. PDD is used to describe chronic major depression and dysthymia (low-grade persistent depression). The symptoms of this disorder are: What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression, as it causes extreme mood swings in a person. You might experience random bursts of energy where you feel fantastic and at the top of the world. You work and overdo things until youβre exhausted. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, youβll feel miserable and horrible about anything and everything. You feel fatigued, tired, and worthless. This is a vicious cycle where you alter between two contrasting moods but no middle ground. Doctors recommend mood stabilizers like lithium and calming activities like meditation to bring some sort of balance and stability to your mood. Symptoms and Warning Signs of Depression Depression has many symptoms, some of which overlap with a general lack of mood or exhaustion after a long day of work. Naturally, all of us feel low at some point in our lives or another. But when the feelings persist and take over our lives, it is a sign of depression. Depression isnβt general sadness or pain of loss. It is more intense and can wreak havoc in your life by gradually robbing your happiness and ability to assert yourself. You can no longer feel, think, work, enjoy, and act the way you used to do. Some people term it as βliving in a black hole’, where the void sucks out even the last bit of energy and happiness from you. Some feel apathetic to their surroundings. Nothing matters to them anymore. Others have a constant sense of impending doom and cannot consider a positive alternative. Men exhibit signs of anger and restlessness, while women have excessive feelings of guilt, sleepiness, hunger, etc. Obviously, this varies from person to person. Apart from this, all the above-listed symptoms are warnings signs of depression. A person who exhibits such signs needs medical intervention as soon as possible. Datasets Used to Analyze Depression Using the following datasets,
Read More