PDN Article: Nov. 1, 2013
Are you sad
most of the time and take no pleasure in things you used to enjoy? Do you feel
very tired, helpless and hopeless? Having trouble sleeping, trouble working and
not wanting to eat? Have you felt this way for a long time?
Everyone feels
sad sometimes, but these feelings usually go away after a few days. When you
have depression, you have trouble functioning with daily life for weeks at a
time. Depression affects different people in different ways.
Children with
depression may: express feeling sick, refuse to go to school, cling to a parent
or worry that a parent may die. Older children may be irritable and get into
trouble at school.
It may be
difficult to accurately diagnose a young person with depression, because these
signs can also be part of normal mood swings associated with certain childhood
stages.
Women
experience depression more often than men and their symptoms are typically
feelings of sadness, worthlessness and guilt. Men with depression are more
likely to be very tired, irritable and even angry. Older adults may have less
obvious symptoms, and more likely have medical conditions such as heart disease
or strokes, which may contribute to the depression.
Signs to watch out for
These are signs
of depression to look out for:
• not
being able to concentrate or remember details;
• feeling
sad and "empty";
• feeling
very tired;
• feeling
hopeless, irritable, anxious and guilty;
• not able
to sleep, or sleeping too much;
• Oovereating,
or not wanting to eat at all;
• aches or
pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems;
• loss of
interest in favorite activities; and
• thoughts
of suicide and suicide attempts.
According to
the National Institute of Mental Health, several factors or a combination of
factors may contribute to depression. Individuals with a family history of
depression may be more likely to develop depression that those who do not have
the illness. Individuals with depression have different brain chemistry than
those without the illness. Any stressful situation such as loss of a loved one
or a difficult relationship may trigger depression.
Illness needs
treatment
Depression is a
serious illness and needs treatment. Treatment for depression starts by
visiting a doctor or a mental health professional for an exam or lab test to
rule out other conditions that may have the same symptoms as depression. A
complete personal history and history of the symptoms need to be obtained to
determine factors contributing to the depression as well as for treatment
purposes.
Medications
such as antidepressants can work well to treat depression, but it takes several
weeks for the medication to start working. Antidepressants can have the
following side effects:
• headache;
• nausea;
and
• difficulty
sleeping, among others.
But most side
effects lessen over time. Anyone, but especially young people, taking
antidepressants should be under a doctor's careful supervision.
Psychotherapy
can also help treat depression by teaching new ways of thinking and behaving,
and changing habits that may be contributing to depression. Therapy can help
the person understand and work through difficult situations or relationships
that may be causing the depression or making it worse.
If you know
someone who has depression, help him or her see a doctor or mental health
professional. Talk to the person, listen patiently, and carefully. Offer
support and encouragement, and let the person know that with treatment and
time, the depression will lift.
Never ignore
comments about suicide without letting the person's doctor, therapist or
someone who could help know.
Annie F.B. Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of I Famagu'on-ta at
the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center.
