Tell Me More About Depression: Signs, Symptoms, And Treatments
June 9, 2008 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
This post is part of Celebrity Health Week at the b5media Health & Wellness Channel. For more information about Celebrity Health Week posts here at Mental Health Notes, visit Introducing Celebrity Health Week: Celebrities And Mental Illness.
Because we’ve already highlighted the lives of celebrities who’ve battled depression, let’s now take a look at the illness itself so you can better understand what these famous folks are going through.
Keep in mind that this post is just an overview and by no means meant to act as a substitute for medical professional advice.
Actually, I gathered information for this post from three major sources: The National Alliance on Mental Illness and their section on Major Depression; the National Institute of Mental Health and their booklet about Depression; and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and their section on Depression.
So, after reading my overview of depression, I highly recommend checking out those Web sites for more detailed information about depression.
Read on!
Quick Facts about Depression
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), depression affects 15 million American adults (5-8% of the population) during any given year.
Depression is more than just “the blues.” Actually, depression is kind of like “the blues” on acid. In other words, it’s more severe and it lasts much longer. Depression can take hold of your life, interfering with your everyday routines, ability to function normally, and your relationships with other people.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
NAMI, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) all list signs and symptoms of depression. Some of the most common depression symptoms include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, despair, emptiness, irritability, anxiety, pessimism, and/or indifference.
- Loss of interest in activities, people, and/or jobs you once enjoyed.
- Sleep and/or eating too much or too little.
- Unexplained physical pain, fatigue, decreased energy, and/or restlessness.
- Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.
Different Types of Depression
Sometimes it’s not completely accurate to just say someone is “depressed” or has “depression,” because there are different kinds of depression, too. The NIMH gives a thorough list of the kinds of depression, as well as their symptoms, which includes:
- Major depressive disorder
- Dysthymic disorder
- Psychotic depression
- Postpartum depression
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Treatment Options for Depression
Depression can be treated with a variety of medications (such as SSRIs and SNRIs) and therapies (such as psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and electroconvulsive therapy). Check out NAMI’s list of medications and therapies used to treat depression, and scroll down the page for information about treatment side effects. Also take a look at the DBSA’s page Getting the Treatment You Need.
If you think you suffer from depression, contact your doctor. If you think someone you know suffers from depression, point him or her in the direction of these resources and encourage him or her to contact a doctor. There is absolutely nothing shameful or embarrassing about dealing with mental illness, and there are effective treatment options available.
Image: Newscom
As someone whose life was saved with therapy and antidepressants and who had one brother try to commit suicide and another take his life successfully, I am all too aware of the harm and damage this illness does.
It’s really a shame that it is still not recognized – not by those who have it – but by those who live with, work with and interact with people who have it.
@ Marijke – Thanks for chiming in. I wholeheartedly agree – it is definitely a shame. I can’t fathom why people continue to turn their heads and contribute to stigma, when these mental health issues can be properly treated and managed so that lives can be restored and saved. The resources are out there – the medications and therapies and support are out there – but sadly, some folks don’t get that until it happens to them or someone in their lives.
Several years ago, when I was working through college, my boss at the time (at a retail store) hired a lady “who had bipolar disorder and had suffered a nervous breakdown a few years ago – she’s OK now but we should keep our eyes open” (information passed along in a hushed voice and a facial expression that clearly suggested she – my boss – was waiting for a shocked reaction).
Unfortunately, this was all before I was active in mental health advocacy and had the knowledge to set my boss straight; however, I kept wondering why my boss thought she could pass this personal health information along to us and why we were supposed to “keep our eyes open.” To make sure the woman stayed safe, or to make sure nothing happened to embarrass the store’s reputation? I fear it was the latter.