Posted by Shirley
~~~ SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION ~~~
Persistent, sad or “empty” mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities, including sex
Decreased energy, fatigue, being “slowed down”
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, early-morning waking or oversleeping)
Eating disturbances (loss of appetite and weight, or weight gain)
Difficult concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
Irritability
Excessive crying
Chronic aches and pains that don’t respond to treatment
DEPRESSION CAN AFFECT ANYONE
More people suffer from depression than you might think. Depression strikes people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnic groups. It is estimated that about 20 million adults in the U.S. suffer from depression each year, and that up to 25% of all women and up to 12% of all men in the U.S. will experience an episode of major depression some time in their lives. About 1 out of 6 American adults have depression during their lifetimes.
Depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It is a medical condition.
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
The exact cause of depression is not clear. No one is sure why some people get depressed and others do not. Sometimes, depression seems to happen because of a stressful event. Sometimes it seems to happen for no reason at all.
Genes may play a role. People whose blood relatives have had depression are more likely to have it, too. However, not everyone who has a relative with depression is going to develop it.
Today, it is widely recognized that depression is a medical condition that may be associated with an imbalance in the delicate chemistry of the brain. If this imbalance occurs, it can affect the way people feel and the way they see the world. It is thought not having enough of a brain chemical called serotonin may play a role in depression.
DEPRESSION IS TREATABLE
Most depressed people can benefit from treatment. In fact, early recognition and treatment seem to decrease the length and severity of depressive episodes for most people.
Treatment Options
The most common treatments are antidepressant medicines, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. You and your doctor can work together to decide on appropriate treatment. Antidepressant medicines have been proven effective in treating depression. Today, medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants.
In psychotherapy, patient and therapist discuss the patient’s experiences, relationships, events, and feelings to identify and try to resolve areas of difficulty. Working together with a supportive therapist can help you find better ways of dealing with your problems.
To help people follow their treatment plans, a free educational program called RHYTHMS® is available from Pfizer. Talk to your doctor.
Phases of Treatment
The length of treatment for depression is different for each person. In general, all medicines for depression should be taken for 6 months to 1 year. Studies have shown that to prevent depression from coming back, people should keep taking their medicine for at least 4 to 9 months after they feel better.
That’s because depression can last a long time, and it may come back. There are three phases of depression treatment:
Phase 1 lasts for the first 6 to 12 weeks that a person takes medicine for depression. During this time, the person should begin to feel better. But it’s still important for the person to keep taking the antidepressant medication because the depression can still come back during Phase 1.
Phase 2 lasts for 4 to 9 months. The person should remain feeling better with continued treatment. Usually, the person will keep taking medicine at the same dose during Phase 2. The person should not stop taking the antidepressant medication without talking to the doctor.
Phase 3 of treatment can last another year, or longer. How long it lasts depends on the depressed person’s medical history and on the advice of the doctor or other healthcare professional. Not all people need to take their medicine for depression during Phase 3.
See a Doctor for Help
If you think you or someone you care about may be depressed, it’s important to talk to a doctor. Depression is a medical condition that responds well to treatment, so a good person to talk to is a doctor, especially one who already knows a lot about your or your loved one’s history and health. Together, you can determine if depression is involved and decide on appropriate next steps
FEELING GOOD ABOUT GETTING BETTER
You may find that dealing with depression is one of the most challenging situations you have ever faced. But people who have been successfully treated for depression — and there are millions of them — say that being able to beat depression made them realize how strong they were. And once they got back to themselves, they appreciated life even more
Interesting Article
Posted by sandra the organist on 7/6/2002, 1:53 pm
| Hi Everyone! I got this article from a newsletter I get from about.com and thought I’d share it with you. Sandra
Mourning the Loss of Good Health The loss of your health can take you through the stages of grief. In 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross proposed 5 stages of death and dying in her book On Death and Dying. Most of us are familiar with what is often called ‘the five stages of grief’, which are:
Denial
Since this book was published, Dr. Kubler-Ross’s work has been applied to the many situations of change people experience in a lifetime, including onset of a chronic illness. There is no time limit set for each stage, as every person progresses towards acceptance of their illness at their own pace. Some people may experience more than one stage at a time, or in an alternate order. Critics argue that the steps are too rigid, and are not applicable to the grieving process, yet people all over the world have found comfort in her work.
“Take the pain and learn to accept it, not as a curse or punishment but as a gift to you with a very, very specific purpose.” The first stage in acceptance of a chronic illness like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or Irrtable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is DENIAL. The patient may convince himself or herself that the lab reports were accidentally switched, or the doctor is wrong. With the often-sudden onset of IBD, it can be easy to believe that symptoms are food poisoning, or due to stress, and will go away eventually. Patients might even refuse to take medication or alter their diet, because that would mean that the chronic illness is real.
The second stage is ANGER at the doctor who made the diagnosis, the illness itself, and even at the rest of the world for going on about its business as if nothing had changed. Spending too much time at this stage can leave a person resentful of healthy people and bitter. Friends and family may even shun a person who gets stuck in this stage. BARGAINING is the third stage. A person with IBD may rationalize eating unhealthily or not taking medications. Thoughts like, “One day of missing my meds won’t hurt”, or “I’ll schedule my colonoscopy when I’m not so busy” may be prevalent. Unfortunately, IBD doesn’t go away for the weekend, and it doesn’t care that a colonoscopy is something most people would rather avoid. The fourth stage, one that is familiar to anyone diagnosed with a chronic illness is DEPRESSION. Patients may feel sorry for themselves, and lose hope of ever achieving remission. It is important to recognize that medical help is necessary if depression becomes all consuming or results in suicidal thoughts. Adjusting to a chronic illness is a difficult and stressful time, and seeking out help to deal with it is the best way to ensure a more healthy life. The fifth and final stage is one of ACCEPTANCE. IBD is not going to go away, and becoming educated about the disease is the way to lead a healthier life. Dr. Kubler-Ross’s 5 stages provide a guideline in the lonely and perilous journey to accepting IBD or IBS as a part of life. That is not to say that a chronic illness should rule one’s life, or that the search for a cause and cure should stop, but that regular doctors appointments and medication are going to be part of life. Ideally a very small part of a life that is filled with joy, love, and incredible experiences despite the illness. Updated July 2003 |