Recognizing the Signs of ... Depression
Feeling depressed is one of the most painful and difficult life experiences. Depression can rob you of your energy, interest in activities you have usually enjoyed, feelings of hope for the future, and accurate perceptions of the world. It is different than normal feelings of sadness or "the blues." When feelings of sadness or despair become chronic and last for an extended period of time, perhaps you are dealing with depression.
Depression comes in many forms and can have many causes. It is very difficult to diagnose on your own, so accessing the help of a professional is important. Depression is usually triggered by difficult life events that you feel to be particularly stressful or devastating. If repeated attempts to cope with these situations have not been successful, feelings of being overwhelmed or hopelessness may result.
Causes Of Depression:
While the causes of depression are individual for everyone, research indicates that certain factors are associated with the cause and maintenance of depression:
- Situation
- Major life events, particularly involving loss (e.g. relationship conflict or break-up, death of a loved one, a move, job loss, physical injury, course failure, etc.)
- Social isolation
- Thoughts
- Negative, distorted, or very pessimistic thoughts, resulting from messages received in our families or choosing how we will interpret certain life events
- Judging oneself in a very harsh or negative way
- The future seems hopeless
- Emotion
- Feelings of sadness and discouragement as a normal reaction
to a difficult situation which, if unresolved, leads to more
severe irritability, unhappiness, despair, hopelessness, or anger
- Feelings of sadness and discouragement as a normal reaction
to a difficult situation which, if unresolved, leads to more
severe irritability, unhappiness, despair, hopelessness, or anger
- Physiology
- Possible serious illness or chronic anxiety
- Inability to get enough sleep, with chronic exhaustion and lack
of energy making problem-solving more difficult
- Actions
- Reduced self-care e.g. lack of exercise, personal hygiene, proper eating habits
- Less involvement in rewarding activities e.g. hobbies, sports, travel, reading, etc.
- Neglect of usual duties e.g. doing homework, studying, running errands, household tasks
Symptoms Of Depression:
- Possible physical symptoms include:
- Loss of energy; tiredness or fatigue
- Changes in appetite and/or sleeping patterns
- Loss of interest in sexual activity
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Possible cognitive symptoms include:
- Thoughts of suicide
- Difficulty concentrating; indecisiveness
- Loss of interest in activities
- Pessimism
- Possible emotional symptoms include:
- Sadness or despair; crying frequently or not being able to cry at all
- Guilt
- Irritability
- Feelings of punishment or worthlessness
What To Do/Treatment:
As difficult as feelings of depression can be, the good news is that depression is treatable. Lifting depression is not easy, but it is possible with the help of information, strategies, and possible medical assistance. Some people have been able to work through depression with their own inner resources and self-help material. For most, it is more effective to consult with a professional. The research suggests that the most effective treatment is a combination of counselling and medication. Counselling can help you identify thinking patterns, challenge the thoughts which promote depression, and replace these with more realistic or positive thoughts and supporting behaviours. For some people, the use of anti-depressant medication may be very effective. At Conestoga College, counselling assistance is available on campus through personal counsellingat Counselling Services. To seek medical assistance, doctors are available at Campus Health Services (Doon Campus, Room 1A102), or you may want to access your family doctor in the community.
If you would like to access an excellent self-help resource on-line, you can download the "Antidepressant Skills Workbook" (pdf). This manual provides information about the nature of depression, causes, treatment options, and exercises to assist in getting control of depression.
You can also access on-line links for further information about depression.