Depression |
Overview Everyone feels sad from time to time but depression is more than being sad. It is a medical disorder that affects your thoughts, feelings, physical health, and behaviour. At any given time almost three million Canadians have serious depression although only 1 in 10 will seek medical treatment. This is most regrettable because depression is the most treatable of all mental illnesses. Eighty to ninety per cent of all depressed people respond to treatment and nearly all those who receive treatment see at least some relief from their symptoms. Causes There is no one cause of depression neither is it fully understood. The Canadian Mental Health Association says the following factors may make some people more prone than others to react to a loss or failure with a clinical depression:
Experts believe a genetic vulnerability combined with environmental factors (such as stress or physical illness) may trigger a depression. At high risk for depression are people with a chronic illness such as heart disease stroke diabetes or cancer. Social isolation can also trigger depression. It's a quick slide from sadness to depression if there's no one to catch you on your downward descent. Depression rates are higher among divorced people and those who live alone and lower among married people. While depression rates are very low for married men married women who work outside the home while shouldering the bulk of parenting and household chores can suffer from depression. Also people who stay home with the kids can be vulnerable to depression because of isolation and lack of support. Symptoms Depression becomes an illness or clinical depression when the feelings described below are severe last for several weeks and begin to interfere with one's work and social life. Depressive illness can change the way a person thinks and behaves and how his/her body functions. Some of the signs to look for are:
If you or someone you know has been experiencing a number of these symptoms you should seek professional help. Treatment Many people who are seriously depressed wait too long to seek treatment or they may not seek treatment at all. They may not realize that they have a treatable illness or they may be concerned about getting help because of the negative attitudes held by society towards this type of illness. Some people are ashamed of being unable to control their moods so they try to hide the problem. Others don't admit to depression because they want to spare themselves and their family what they perceive as the stigma of mental illness. For others the feelings of helplessness brought on by depression stops them from seeking treatment. If you suffer from any of the symptoms listed above you should see your doctor. He can prescribe safe and effective antidepressant drugs. These are not "happy pills." They correct imbalances in the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the brain. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) include Prozac Paxil and Zoloft . They work by preventing the re-absorption of serotonin in the nerve cells in the brain. Since the serotonin is more available it initiates a series of physiological events that help lift the depression. SSRIs are non-addictive and non-tranquilizing. The side effects are generally mild but may include sexual dysfunction weight gain headaches nausea and insomnia. Your doctor may also refer you to a counselor. Through talk therapy you can discover how low self-esteem being self-critical pessimistic and easily overwhelmed by stress can make you vulnerable to depression. Support from family friends and self-help groups can also make a big difference. The combination of counseling and antidepressants has helped many thousands of people with depression. If you're depressed you may feel it's hopeless to reach out for help. You're wrong. Just about everybody with depression can be helped. Finding help can begin with a phone call to your family doctor to make an appointment to discuss your symptoms. If you feel unable to take this first step ask a friend of family member to phone for you. You've won half the battle once you recognize that depression is not a weakness it's an illness that can be treated. For more information on depression phone the Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario Division at 1-800-875-6213 or visit the new CMHA website. You can also phone the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario at 1-888-486-8236 or (416) 486-8046 or visit its website at www.mooddisorders.on.ca. |