Facts About Mental Health:
Depression
Did you know: Depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions, affecting up to one quarter of the U.S. population at any one time!
Psychiatrists and psychologists recognize many different types of depression. These range from adjustment disorder with depressed mood – probably the least serious and most common variety – to major depression, the most serious. Women are diagnosed with the problem more often than men, perhaps because men are not always encouraged to talk about symptoms in our culture (this is true across a broad spectrum of illnesses). Symptoms of depression will vary somewhat from person to person, but affected persons may lose interest in life, experience chronic fatigue, worry about their future, and have difficulty sleeping. E.M.A. (early morning awakening) is a common symptom. Clearly, this illness is more than just “the blues.” There may be guilt feelings, changes in weight due to loss of appetite or binge eating, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, and thoughts about suicide. The chances that anyone in the U.S. will sooner or later experience major depression are about 15%. Unfortunately, this applies to children as well.
How do you know if you are experiencing depression? A good test is whether your daily routines – your work, your social interactions, your daily schedule – are being interfered with, and if the quality of your life does not seem to be what it should be – if you no longer enjoy things that used to give you pleasure: If this is happening to you, you may be depressed.
It is true that everyone experiences these symptoms now and then, usually for short periods, and almost always for a reason. Bereavement, for example – loss of a loved one – normally produces depression that may last for months or longer, until an adjustment is made. Loss of possessions, loss of status, in fact the loss of anything or anyone you hold dear, can normally cause depression. The question is, how long does it last? When depression occurs, and when it persists for long periods without good reason, it is time to get professional help. A doctor will probably prescribe some medicine, and the good news is, medical science has developed some very good medications in the last few years, which will almost certainly help remove painful symptoms. Of course, nearly every medicine has side effects, and anti-depressant medications are no exception, so your doctor will want to follow you closely. There are quite a few of these available, each one suited for a particular kind of depression, and your doctor will know which is most suitable for you.
What causes depression? While the causes are many (including many diseases of which depression is a side-effect), one general mechanism of brain chemistry has been fairly well worked out. A substance called serotonin is necessary for communication between nerve cells in the brain. Serotonin is quickly released from one cell to part of another cell, then given back again to the donor cell. Normally not all is given back at once, however, and the small amount that remains momentarily between nerve cells is necessary for our well-being. When all is taken back (“reuptake”) suddenly, with none left over, we cannot function at our best and may experience depression. An important class of medicines are called “Serotonin reuptake inhibitors”, which slow down the reuptake of serotonin. Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil are members of this class, and these are widely prescribed by doctors. This explanation is oversimplified, however, and interested readers should turn to the web sites below for more information.
Depression hurts, and there is no reason to put up with it without professional help. We may admire people who try to overcome depression by their own efforts, without medicine, and without seeing a doctor. But the truth is, people with serious depression are rarely able to help themselves in this way. Professional remedies are much more advanced and effective than they used to be, so there is simply no reason to put off seeking help.
The following web site has an excellent section on depression: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/medicate.cfm Also highly recommended: “Psychology Information Online”, and the beginning article on major depression: http://www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/major.htm
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