Major Depressive Disorder Evidence shows that major depressive disorder has been around for approximately four thousand years. In the 4th century BC, Hippocrates referred to a group of symptoms including loss of appetite, insomnia, apathy, and irritability as melancholia (Jackson). The responsibility of melancholy appeared in ancient Mesopotamian texts of the second millennium BC. At that time, any mental illness had something to do with demons. It had to be controlled by the priests. When depression was first understood, it was actually considered more of a spiritual illness caused by demons rather than a physical illness. The ancient Greeks and Romans taught the causes of melancholy. For example, in the 5th century BC, Herodotus wrote about a king who was driven mad by evil spirits. The views of the early Babylonian, Chinese, and Egyptian civilizations also referred to mental illness and used exorcism techniques (such as beatings, restraint, and starvation) designed to remove demons. Roman and Greek doctors thought that depression was both a biological and psychological disease. Gymnastics, massages, special diets, music and baths would have helped fight the disorder. Hippocrates, a Greek physician, said that mental traits and illness had to do with the balance of bodily fluids called humors. There were four of these humors: yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood. Hippocrates thought that melancholy was caused by an excess of black bile in the spleen. He used bloodletting (a seemingly therapeutic technique that removed blood from the body), bathing, exercise, and diet to treat depression. The famous Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero argued that melancholy was caused by vi...... middle of paper...... things can be really difficult. Feelings come and go for individuals, they have intense feelings. They feel guilty and like they are worthless to life as human beings. The individual no longer cares about life; they think they don't exist, so why should they care. Their point of view on everything changes from one moment to the next, they usually misinterpret things in a negative way. He or she carries with him or her a sense of guilt that makes him or her feel unwanted. What worries most people is thinking about suicide at certain times. The point they make may be that if they don't take care of themselves no one will, so there's no point in living. Having thoughts of death is commonly found in cases of major depressive disorder. It is really important to keep an eye on whether he or she has actually made a plan to commit suicide. Some follow the plan, unfortunately they take their own lives.