DEPRESSION
Problems and misfortunes are a normal part of everyday life. We all have times when we feel "blue" or "down". Sometimes, however, these periods of depression can stretch into weeks or even months. In other cases there may be no obvious reason for the person to feel down. Depression becomes a problem when the periods of feeling blue are severe; stretch into months; and begin to interfere with one's work or social life. Over time depression can change the way a person thinks or behaves and how the body functions. Some signs to look for are:
- sleeping a lot more or a lot less
- feeling worthless or hopeless
- difficulty concentrating or making decision
- loss of interest in activities
- decreased sex drive
- avoiding other people
- overwhelming sadness or grief
- unreasonable feeling of guilt
- loss of energy, always tired
- thoughts of death or suicide
Depression is very common. Almost anybody can develop the illness; it is certainly NOT a sign of weakness. Depression is also treatable. You may need to see a doctor, but there are things you can do yourself or things you can do to help somebody suffering from the illness. What you cannot do is 'PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER' - no matter whether this is what you think you should be able to do, or what other people tell you to do.
Sometimes when we are going through a 'bad patch' in our life, it is enough to talk through our problems with a friend or relative. However, this may not be enough and we may need to seek professional help. The important thing to remember about depression is that it is treatable. There are many different types of treatment. These include medication and talking therapies. Medication can be effective on its own but the chances of recovering from depressioon are more than doubled if you add therapy to the medication recomended by your doctor.
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