Depression ~ 2003

Depression.

What do the following singers, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, John Denver have in common with Winston Churchill former UK PM, and Boris Yeltsin former Russian leader. The answer, they have all reported to have suffered with depression.

Depression has devastating effects on a person's relationships with family and friends, on the ability to do productive work, and, of course, on the ability to enjoy life.
With so many people suffering, you would think a simple definition of "depression" would be easy, but it's not. Depression has many meanings among doctors, mental-health professionals and people on the street. One reason for this is that there are many varieties of depression. For lay people depression suggests words such as blue, down, gloomy, cheerless, sadness, grief or general world-weariness.

But when professionals use the word "depression," they're referring to an illness, a disorder of the mind. Some depressive disorders are mild, others severe. There are many possible causes of depression: troubled family relationships, career disappointments, deaths in the family and other losses, and various kinds of stress. A person who has been neglected or treated badly as a child may be poorly equipped to handle life's normal ups and downs or may develop a negative outlook or become very self-critical.  Depression can grow out of other conditions. Health-care providers see depression more often in people who have serious health problems, such as heart disease and cancer. Depression also can occur in connection with illnesses that affect the brain, such as stroke or epilepsy. And sometimes depression is the result of other psychiatric disorders, for example, obsessive-compulsive disorder or schizophrenia.
Fortunately, depression can be treated. Drug treatment is helpful, and so is psychotherapy (talk therapy).

Depression always involves a noticeable change in mood. Sadness is part of the experience, but the word "depression" usually implies a profound gloom that goes beyond ordinary unhappiness. A depressed person may become irritable or stop taking pleasure in everyday activities. People with mood disorders are also likely to have other problems, such as changes in appetite, sleep or energy. (Some medical conditions can also lead to these changes, so it is important that you work with your Doctor or other health-care provider to identify the problem.)

Your Doctor will recommend treatment depending on what comes up in your evaluation. An effective treatment plan will address your needs over time.
People diagnosed with depression are most likely to improve if they are treated with a combination of drug treatment and psychotherapy. However, they will also need adequate support at home, in school or at work.
Antidepressant drugs have been available since the 1950s. There are many varieties available and may be used with other forms of treatment and support such as Psychotherapy (talk therapy), Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Interpersonal therapy, and Psychodynamic therapy.

My experience working with depression is to encourage people to work with their doctor, and other health care providers, and to also to take part in their own healing. Relaxation and developing self esteem are keys in recovery. There are several things a depressed person should remember. First you are not alone, Second there is no shame to admitting you need support. And third, we all need some support at sometime in our lives.