Depression is a serious illness that can render a person disabled in their work, family and social life. This is a treatable disorder but often many persons suffering from this illness fail to seek professional help.

What is depression?
This is a mood disorder that affects the whole person. Everybody at one point or another will feel sadness as a reaction to loss, grief or injured self-esteem, but clinical depression, called ‘major depressive disorder,” is a serious medical illness. When the feelings of sadness becomes intense, lasting for long periods of time and preventing a person from leading a normal life-this is depression. If left untreated it can worsen, lasting for years and causing much suffering.
Depression is a medical illness, like diabetes or high blood pressure, not a personal shortcoming or character defect.

What are the main types of depression?
There are several different types of depression. These include:
Major depression
Dysthymia (chronic depression)
Seasonal affective disorder
Psychotic depression
Bipolar depression (Manic-depressive)
Post-partum depression.

Who develops depression?
Anyone can suffer from depression. Even children can suffer from depression. Depression is twice as common in women as in men. Many men suffer from depression, but sadly they fail to seek professional help.

What are the symptoms of depression?
There is no one symptom that is characteristic of depression. The symptoms of depression may occur with other conditions. The following symptoms may lead you to suspect that you may have depression:
Sadness
Loss of energy
Feeling of hopelessness or worthlessness
Difficulty concentrating
Uncontrollable crying
Irritability
Difficulty making decisions
Increased need for sleep
Excessive sleep
Bowel problems
sexual problems
headaches
Unexplained aches and pains
Thoughts of death or suicide
Attempting suicide

What are the warning signs for suicide?
If you or someone you know is demonstrating any of the following warning signs, contact a mental health professional or your doctor or go to the emergency room at the hospital for treatment:
Talking about suicide (killing one’s self)
Always talking or thinking about death
Making comments about feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless
Depression that gets worse
Losing interest in things one used to care about
Visiting or calling people one cares about
Putting affairs in order, tying up lose ends, changing a will

What causes depression?
There is not just one cause of depression. Factors involve in depression include:
Family history of depression
Grief over the loss of a loved one through death, divorce or separation
Interpersonal disputes like feeling of guilt
Major life events such as moving and retiring
Serious illness, e.g. terminal illness, HIV and cancer.
Substance abuse. About 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major depression
Being socially isolated or excluded from family friends or social groups.
Certain medications

Diagnosis
Almost half the people who experience depression never get diagnosed or treated for their illness. Not getting treated can be life threatening. More than 10% of people battling depression commit suicide.
Diagnosis involves a physical examination by your doctor to rule out other conditions. Symptoms and family history are important in making the diagnosis. Your doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a psychological evaluation prior to deciding on treatment.

How do you know when to seek help?
Everyone experiences some unhappiness, often as a result of a change, either in the form of a setback or a loss. The painful feelings that accompany these events are usually appropriate, necessary and transitory.
You should seek help:
When depression is negatively affecting your life-such as causing difficulties with relationships, work issues or family disputes, or
If you or someone you know have suicidal thoughts or feelings.

Treatment
The most common treatment for depression includes the combination of antidepressant medicine and psychotherapy, which involves counseling.
The outlook for depressed people who seek treatment is very promising. By working with a qualified and experienced mental care healthcare professional, you can regain control of your life.

Conclusion
Depression is a common illness but many persons with this condition fail to seek help. People mistakenly think that persons with depression are “crazy” or that they can simply “snap out” of their illness. Like other disorders, persons with depression should be correctly diagnosed and once given correct treatment can be successfully treated. Individuals with depression if left untreated can go on to destroy families and may even commit suicide. Family members and friends of individuals with symptoms suggestive of depression should encourage them to seek professional help.

Dr. Brett Hodge

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