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Depression

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          Depression is a mood disorder that can affect how you think, feel and handle situations on a daily basis.  It can affect things like sleeping, eating or working habits.  For these symptoms to actually be considered depression, they must persist for at least two weeks.  There are several different kinds of depression.  Some of these include:

 

Persistent Depressive Disorder – A depressed mood that lasts for at least two years.  This may include spells of major depression and periods of less severe symptoms, but constant depression during this time.

 

Perinatal Depression – This is different than the “Baby blues,” which is a form of mild depression that clears up within two weeks of delivery.  A woman dealing with PD experiences full blown major depression during pregnancy during and/or after delivery.  They experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion.  These feelings hinder new mothers’ abilities to adequately care for herself or her baby.

 

Psychotic Depression – When a person has severe depression and some form of psychosis.  These can include things like delusions and hallucinations.

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Depression during the Winter months due to lack of sunlight.  SAD usually dissipates during the Spring or Summer.

 

            According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anyone experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms most or all day, almost every day, for at least 2 weeks may be suffering from depression:

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• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood

• Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism

• Irritability

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness

• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities

• Decreased energy or fatigue

• Moving or talking more slowly

• Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

• Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

• Appetite and/or weight changes

• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment

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          Not everyone will experience all of these symptoms, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t suffer from depression.

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          Depression can be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors.  It can occur at any age, but often begins in adulthood.  Some risk factors that can be responsible for the onset of depression are:

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• A family history of depression

• Major life changes

• Serious trauma

• Excessive  stress

• Certain physical illnesses

• Medications

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          Some well accepted treatments for depression include things like therapy and antidepressants.  However, it is important to find the right antidepressant.  Some different meds may work for some people, but other people may have no or adverse effects from the same medication.  This is just my experience, but an actual psychiatrist may be more successful than a regular medical doctor at finding the right medication for you.  Chances are, your family doctor has little to no experience in treating mental disorders.  I have known people whose regular doctor has prescribed them 10+ antidepressants over several years with no good results.  Eventually, these people just give up and try to accept the fact that they will just feel depressed forever.  However, after beginning treatment with an actual psychiatrist, they only had to try 1 or 2 different meds before actually finding one that worked.

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          Anyone who has ever had to deal with depression knows just how bad it can be.  The continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness are unlike anything that the average person will ever experience in their life.  These feelings can lead to self-destructive behaviors that can have lasting effects on them and/or their families. 

If you are hesitant to try medication to help with your depression, here are a few tips that may help you instead:

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• Try to be active and exercise.

• Set realistic goals for yourself.

• Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or relative.

• Try not to isolate yourself, and let others help you.

• Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately.

• Postpone important decisions, such as getting married or divorced, or changing jobs until you feel better. Discuss decisions with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.

• Continue to educate yourself about depression

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       If you or someone you care about is experiencing depression, it can be tough.  When your loved one is constantly sad, it may leave you feeling like you’re not doing something right, or when your child is depressed, a parent may wonder what mistakes they made throughout the kid’s life that led to him or her feeling this way.  Don’t blame yourself though.  Depression is a disorder that can spring up from nowhere with no warning or external reasons.  If you or a loved one is suffering from depression, it may seem like there is no hope, but don’t give up.  There are plenty of new therapeutic treatments as well as new medications that are coming onto the market almost constantly.

        

          If you are feeling the pain of depression, don’t lose hope.  Life can get better.  However, if you are truly suffering from depression, you must seek treatment.  Depression often doesn’t just go away on its own, but continuous treatment can definitely make life good again.  Just pick up the phone and make an appointment with a doctor.  Chances are, you’ll be happy that you did!