Depression Hurts.. I’m okay…really

Depression: described as feeling miserable, sad, unhappy, etc. Most of us feel like this for a short period of time. Clinical depression is a mood disorder in which those same feelings last for a long period of time.

There are numerous factors that contribute to depression: -Alcohol/drug abuse -Life changing events (divorce, bad grades, etc) -Medical conditions -Sleeping problems

Symptoms: - Agitation, restlessness, and irritability - Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss - Extreme difficulty concentrating - Fatigue and lack of energy - Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness - Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt - Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed (such as sex) - Thoughts of death or suicide - Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping

To tell if someone has depression, they must have 5 or more symptoms for at least 2 weeks. Medical conditions should be ruled out before diagnosis begins. Medications for depression: - Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are the most commonly used antidepressants. Examples of these are fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, citalopram, and escitalopram. Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are also commonly used. Names include desvenlafaxine, venlafaxine, and duloxetine.

To get a full recovery, people may have to take the medication for 4-9 months, although they claim to feel better within a few weeks. People who don’t respond to regular dosages have to up the dosage at a safer level. This is called treatment-resistant depression. Lithium and thyroid hormones can help out when used to treat depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy may improve the behavior of severely depressed people who don’t respond to any other treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation uses high frequency magnetic pulses that target the parts of the brain that have been affected.

Depression is reoccurring for most people, even with successful therapy. For people with severe depression, ongoing therapy and treatment is needed.

The complications of depression are: -Alcohol and drug related problems are more likely in people with long-term depression -Increased risk of problems with physical health and early death due to medical illness -Suicide

Call a doctor right away if you experience one or more of the following: -You hear voices that aren’t there -You have frequent crying spells with little or no provocation -Your depression is interfering in your normal life -You think your medications aren’t working right -You believe you need to cut back in your life

To manage depression at home: -Take medications correctly -Learn to handle side effects -Watch for early signs of depression -Try to exercise regularly -Avoid alcohol/illegal drugs -Talk to someone you trust about your problem -Try to get involved in your community

Diana, the Princess of Wales, has struggled with depression and eating disorders. She injured herself to get attention. Her husband would give her a pat on the back instead of telling her he loved her. Suffered from Post- Natal Depression after he son, William, was born. People considered her desperate for attention instead of depressed. She would also purge and binge because her husband was still in love with former girlfriend Camila Parker Bowles.

Harrison Ford was often beat up by his peers. He didn’t fit in at college either because it was too conservative. He slept long hours, missed classes, and got behind on his studies.

J.K. Rowling went through a tough time after she separated from her first husband in her mid-20s. She was a single mother trying to make ends meet. When she went to a doctor, they dismissed her thoughts saying she was only ‘a little bit miserable’. Later on, her actual doctor diagnosed her correctly.

Hugh Laurie admitted to suffering from depression. He claims that he’s too worried about the show to focus on his life. He often is drained from his demanding role in his hit show House. He also has to deal with his wife and children being in London while he’s in Los Angeles, saying that separation is tough, but he goes back and forth as possible.