Depression
This is for your information about the different types of depression, what it does, how it's treated, and other things. If you already know about depression and need to know where to get information on a support group click here to go straight there. 
About Depression Clinical depression is a common and highly treatable illness. It happens to over 17 million American adults each year. However, it is rarely reported to doctors and is usually unrecognized. In fact, only 1 out of 3 persons actually seek out treatment. Only when it is identified can its victim be treated. Depression sometimes co-occurring with another illness or disorder of any kind. That is why it is rarely recognized for what it is. However, of the treatments, most deal with medication. It can also be treated with psychological treatments, such as psychotherapy, and sometimes even with a mixture of both. With treatment, even the most severe case of depression, 80% of the people suffering recover in about a week. Continued treatment prevents recurrence.
What People think Vs. What's True
Most people seem to think that depression is some sort of personal weakness or character flaw. Some think it's just a prolonged case of the blues. What they don't understand is that it can be a costly illness and needs to be treated before it gets any worse. Depression affects the mood, thoughts, body, and behavior of the person who has it. Some people have an episode in a lifetime, but others have recurrent episodes. For some, depression is a chronic illness. For others, it's has ongoing, chronic, yet milder symptoms. And still others have bipolar disorder, in which episodes of terrible lows alternate with inappropriate highs. Depression can, in fact, disable a person. It has painful symptoms that can last for months or even years. It even changes the person it infects sometimes. In some cases, people cannot get out of bed or function properly. It takes a person's energy and interferes with his or her will to get help and to live. It can make a person feel tired, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. In the end, about 15% of the people take their own lives.
It is for these reasons that people with serious depression need as much encouragement from friends and family to get an accurate diagnosis and to seek the treatment that can ease the sometimes overwhelming pain. Some even need more help and must be taken for treatment.
The symptoms of depression are as follows:
 Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
Restlessness, irritability, or excessive crying
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism
Sleeping too much or too little, early-morning awakening
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down"
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
Some symptoms may occur naturally, especially in teenagers as in puberty.
Symptoms of manic depression include:
 Abnormally elevated mood
Irritability
Severe insomnia
Grandiose notions
Increased talking
Racing thoughts
Increased activity, including sexual activity
Markedly increased energy
Poor judgement that leads to risk-taking behavior
Inappropriate social behavior
Again some symptoms might occur naturally. If 5 or more symptoms last for 2 weeks or longer in you or someone you know, or are severe enough to interfere with daily activities, you should go get help.
Drugs and Depression
Some people try to "help" themselves with drugs or alcohol. They may also try with mood altering drugs. Although some may try for a little relief, eventually it will complicate the disorder and its treatment. It is also thought that many people with drug dependencies and alcoholics suffer from a depressive disorder, especially bipolar disease. Research shows that one out of three depressed people (32%) also suffers from some form of substance abuse or dependence.
Facts:
More women suffer from clinical depression than men, but in bipolar disorder, the rates are about the same.
Depression may be associated with life events, such as losses of loved ones, or major financial reverses. Personality factors such as undue dependency and low self esteem may be associated with a vulnerability to depression. However the cause is not always known. Sometimes it can appear without reason.
The risk of getting the illness is increased if there is a family history of these kinds of illnesses.
Married people have lower chances of getting depressed than single people. With the highest rates going to unhappily married people, the lowest rates go to happily married men.
No differences occur through racial or ethnic groups.
Where to Get Help and Info on Support Groups
You can get help from physicians, mental health specialists, employee assistance programs, health maintenance organizations, community mental health centers, hospital departments of psychiatry, university affiliated programs, state hospital outpatient clinics, family services, social agencies, private clinics, and facilities. You can also ask a teacher or regular doctor for help and they will give you help or tell you whom to turn to. You can also join a support group.
Many people who are depressed benefit from joining support groups. For a list of groups in your local area, contact:
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Arlington, VA
1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association
730 North Franklin Street, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60610
1-800-826-DMDA (3632)
National Mental Health Association
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
1-800-969-NMHA (6942)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health
|