author of |
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Loss of interest in normal life activities. |
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Loss
of enthusiasm and vitality. |
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Sad,
depressed, hopeless, or irritable mood. |
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Low
self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, lack of self-confidence. |
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Extreme
negativity, pessimism, brooding, fretting. |
|
Forgetfulness
and an impaired ability to concentrate. |
|
Physical
symptoms: sleep disturbances (insomnia or excessive sleeping),
change in appetite, loss of sex drive, fatigue. |
|
Social
withdrawal. |
Are there different types of depression?
Yes.
Two percent of the population suffer from bipolar
(manic-depressive) illness, which is a genetically transmitted
form of biological depression.
Five percent of the population suffer a form of mild, but
chronic depression called Dysthymia. Almost everyday the person
experiences a lack of enthusiasm, irritability, moodiness, and
often, fatigue.
Depressions can also be caused by changes in brain
chemistry and may have nothing to do with life stresses. When
this occurs, the depression may seem to “come out of the
blue.” Common causes for these more biologically based
depressions include:
|
Overuse
of alcohol. |
|
Certain
prescription drugs can cause depression, such as: high blood
pressure medications, steroids, tranquilizers, and estrogen (to
name a few of the most common). |
|
Physical
illnesses can directly affect the brain and cause depression.
Most common are: thyroid diseases, anemia, and primary sleep
disturbances (for example: sleep apnea, a disorder that is
commonly seen in people who snore). |
|
Female
hormone fluctuations: pre-menstrual, post-partum, menopausal. |
What treatments have been shown to be effective in
treating depression?
|
Antidepressant
medications (such as Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and others).
These are non-habit forming treatments that can normalize
neurochemical functioning in the brain. All antidepressants
require a minimum of 2-6 weeks of daily use before the positive
effects are experienced. |
|
Mood
stabilizers (for example: lithium, Depakote) are also used in
treating depression that is a part of bi-polar illness. |
|
Particular
types of psychotherapy: cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy,
interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral analysis, and
psychodynamic therapy. All have research support as effective
treatments for depression. |
|
Regular
exercise (20-30 minutes per day) can be effective in treating
some forms of depression. |
|
Bright
light therapy (often effective in treating “winter
depressions” or depressions seen in individuals who habitually
work the night shift and are exposed to very limited amounts of
sunlight). |
|
Electro-Convulsive
Therapy (shock therapy): effective in treating very severe
depressions. |
|
Experimental
treatments include: transcranial magnetic stimulation and vagus
nerve stimulation. |
How effective is treatment for depression?
The
National Institute of Mental Health reports that more than 80%
of people who are treated for depression are significantly
helped. However, this depends on receiving adequate treatment;
for example, a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant
medications. Even though depression is considered to be a very
treatable disorder, only 25% of those who suffer ever seek out
treatment and many who are treated do not receive what is
considered to be state-of-the-art treatments.
How do you know if you need professional help?
The
biggest mistake is to think, “If I just try harder, I know
I’ll be able to pull myself out of this depression.”
Most true clinical depressions last a long time. Thus, if
depressive symptoms have persisted for more than a month despite
efforts to combat them, professional help is warranted.
Treatment is especially indicated if any of the following are
present:
|
Severe
physical symptoms: marked weight loss or gain, insomnia,
noticeable fatigue. |
|
Increasing
use of alcohol or other “recreational” drugs (which always
make depression worse). |
|
Thoughts
about suicide. |
|
Increasing
withdrawal (for example: missing work, staying in bed all day). |
How can you help yourself?
You
Can Beat Depression offers
numerous self-help approaches that have been shown to be
effective (alone or in combination with professional treatment).
Many of these are difficult to describe briefly, so please check
out the book. However, the following can be tremendously
helpful.
|
Reduce
or eliminate caffeine (it destroys sleep which then often makes
depression worse). |
|
Eliminate
alcohol use (alcohol is one of the most potent depression-causing chemicals a person can use. It is, however,
seductive, since the immediate effect is to cause relaxation and
some easing of depressive feelings). Most people experiencing
depression, who are using significant amounts of alcohol, will
encounter tremendous difficulties in overcoming depression.
Reducing or eliminating alcohol may be the single most important
step in combating depression. The biggest obstacle is denial.
Most people who overuse alcohol minimize its impact or think
that it is not contributing to problems with depression.
Finally, Caution: If you have been using significant amounts of alcohol on a
daily basis, please do not stop “cold turkey.” Acute alcohol
withdrawal can be dangerous. Please consult with your physician
about how to conduct a safe program of withdrawal. |
|
Stay
connected with others. Marked social isolation invariably will
increase depression. |
|
Be
decent to yourself. Ruthless self-criticism is a very common
experience during depression. At the heart of healing from
depression is the ability to develop an attitude of compassion
for one’s self. |
|
Don’t
become a couch potato. Inactivity can contribute to changes in
brain chemistry that aggravate depression. At least 10 minutes
of exercise (even walking) per day can help (20-30 minutes a day
is even better). |
|
These
self-help ideas often are almost impossible for depressed people
to do owing to depression’s impact on energy and motivation.
Thus, it may be essential for you to enlist the help of a family
member or friend to provide encouragement or a kick in the rear
to get you started taking care of yourself. |
|
If
the depression has seemed to come out of the blue, it’s always
a good idea to see your family doctor to make sure it is not due
to a medical illness or to prescription drugs. |
How can family members help?
Encouragement
and support certainly matter a lot when a family member is
depressed. However, many times concerned loved ones
inadvertently become critical. “You just need to try
harder”… “Just look on the bright side”… “You have
nothing to be depressed about.” All of these comments may come
from a place of good intentions, but are almost never helpful to
the depressed person. The single most important thing family
members can do is to learn about clinical depression. You
Can Beat Depression helps family members to understand more
about depression and has a specific chapter that outlines
specific, concrete ways family members can be of help.
Depression
is the most common emotional disorder. It affects at least one
in five of us. It is also one of the most treatable of all
psychological disorders. Yet 75% of people who suffer with
depression never seek help. Take action now! Learn more about
depression and either seek treatment for yourself or encourage
your friend or loved one to do so.
