We call them the “blues”, times when we feel down, get headaches or have trouble sleeping. These feelings probably come from some stress at work or at home. But these feelings and little aches and pains go away, and soon we feel good again.
With a depressive illness those feelings will be much worse and they don’t go away. A depressive illness will affect the whole body. It is an illness that affects one in five people during their lifetime. Ten to fourteen million people suffer from depression each year. It will not discriminate – it affects all ages, races and both genders. All is not lost, though. A depressive illness can be successfully treated in more than eighty percent of the people who have it.
Some of the symptoms of depression are: persistent sadness, anxious or “empty” mood; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that you once enjoyed, including sex; insomnia or oversleeping; thoughts of death or suicide; physical symptoms like headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain that do not respond to treatment.
If you have a depressive illness, you are in famous company. Ernest Hemingway, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Virginia Woolf, George Frederic Handel, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman all had a depressive illness. Some famous people living with a depressive illness are: Peter Gabriel, Axl Rose, Ted Turner, Robin Williams, Roseanne Arnold, and Mike Wallace.
Winston Churchill named his depression “Black Dog”, a metaphor that speaks volumes. It fits depression well. While the dog may bite every now and then, he’s still only a dog. He can be cajoled sometimes and locked up other times.
Whenever you have a problem, it is always best to seek support. Depression is not something to be ashamed of and it is not a character flaw or a sign of weakness. You don’t have to wear a mask to hide it. Most depression is caused from a chemical imbalance in the body. If depression persists more than two weeks, get checked by a doctor.
I talked with Dr. Michael O’Neill, a clinical Psychiatrist, to find out how depression is treated.
“For most people diagnosed with a mood disorder, medications are usually prescribed. In some cases, medication is combined with counseling. In other cases, counseling is all that is needed.”
When asked how depression affects a person’s life, he replied, “Most carry on their lives very well.”
Most people that suffer a depressive illness will have one episode. Only fifty percent of those people will have a second. People who have Recurrent Disorders will be able to control the depression with medication and counseling, but like the name says, the depression will recur.
During depression, thoughts of suicide are possible. Some possible signs someone is thinking of suicide are: talking, writing or hinting about suicide; previous attempts; giving away possessions; sudden change from extreme depression to being at peace (may indicate that they have decided to attempt suicide). If you are a friend or family member or know someone who has expressed thoughts of suicide, get help immediately. This is a cry for help! Fifteen percent of people who suffer depression will commit suicide.
The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help them get appropriate diagnosis and treatment. DO NOT tell them to “snap out of it”. A depressive illness is not something you can just get over.
