Depression: The Real Story
Posted: Wednesday, July 20, 2011
by Jessie I Snyder
TRUE INSPIRATIONS
Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad, but these feelings are usually fleeting and pass within a couple of days. When a person has a depression disorder, it interferes with their daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for the person with the disorder and those who care about them.
I know this from experience because I have dealt with depression for more than 10 years now. But my depression comes and goes. Sometimes I feel OK. But other times I feel like nobody loves me or that I’m not worthy of being loved. Depression is a serious mental illness that needs to be addressed. I’m here to tell you that depression hurts; it hurts emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically. When I am depressed I don’t feel like eating anything, I want to sleep constantly, and my body aches all over without any medical reason.
We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness.
Some people describe depression as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. However, some depressed people don't feel sad at all—they may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or men in particular may even feel angry, aggressive, and restless.
Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense and unrelenting, with little, if any, relief.
Common signs and symptoms of depression
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
- Loss of interest in daily activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
- Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
- Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
- Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves
- Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
- Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes
- Reckless behavior. You engage in escapist behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
- Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things
- Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain
For me I have to take medicine on a regular basis, I go to counseling once a week with a therapists certified to deal with depression. There is also group therapy that seems to help some people. Talk with your loved ones and ask for help and support. We, people who are depressed, cannot get better on our own. We need the help of others, both certified specialist and family members. We need to feel that we are not alone in the battle of depression.
Depression and suicide
When I was first diagnosed with depression, it was after the deaths of my mother and daughter who died three weeks apart. My mother died December 31, 1999 from complications with Hepatitis C and my daughter died three weeks later on January 26, 2000 from complications with AIDS. It was my first Easter without them and I had gone to a neighbor’s house to help her make Easter baskets for her children. I didn’t want to be alone. After I returned home I made a good dinner for my husband, fixing all his favorite foods, hell I even made chess pie totally from scratch. But my husband didn’t come in until really late. I warmed up his food and made him a plate. He sat down to eat and then he threw his plate across the room yelling that everything was cold, telling me that I couldn’t do anything right.
So I ran into our bedroom and locked the door where I proceeded to take a bottle of muscle relaxers. He broke down the door and seen what I had done and instead of calling 911, he ran to the neighbor’s house and told them that I was trying to kill myself and then he left. My neighbor came rushing over and rushed me to the hospital. By the time we arrived at the hospital it was already too late to pump my stomach so they fed me some liquid charcoal to absorb the pills. However, it was too late for that too. My entire body had started to relax including my heart which stopped beating for 2-3 minutes. Fortunately, the doctors were able to revive me and I spent 72 hours in the ICU. Then when I was stable enough to be moved I was sent to the psychiatric ward where I stayed for two weeks. I went through therapy sessions and was started on antidepressants. But by the grace of God I survived.
Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair and hopelessness that goes along with depression can make suicide feel like the only way to escape the pain. Thoughts of death or suicide are a serious symptom of depression, so take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously. It's not just a warning sign that the person is thinking about suicide: it's a cry for help.
Warning signs of suicide include:
- Talking about killing or harming one’s self
- Expressing strong feelings of hopelessness or being trapped
- An unusual preoccupation with death or dying
- Acting recklessly, as if they have a death wish (e.g. speeding through red lights)
- Calling or visiting people to say goodbye
- Getting affairs in order (giving away prized possessions, tying up loose ends)
- Saying things like “Everyone would be better off without me” or “I want out.”
- A sudden switch from being extremely depressed to acting calm and happy.
(Source: www.nimh.nih.gov/publications/depression/complete-index.shtml )
(Source: www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm)
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)helping others inadvertently helps ourselves. you are helping others with your words, and that will make you feel lighter and more at peace. thanks for doing so,
my best to you,
sue
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