What is Depression?

It’s part of normal human existence to feel down, depressed and sad at times. We have all said ‘I’m so depressed’ after being dumped or failing an exam, or when your favorite team loses the game. But when a health care provider talks about Depression they’re referring to something different. Clinical depression, medical depression or a Major Depressive Episode is more than being sad or feeling down. Clinical Depression is a condition which can affect your thoughts, feelings, physical health and behaviors. The people who called named the condition Depression must not have been very wise, as naming a clinical condition with the same name as a normal mood feeling creates confusion.

The main symptom of depression includes a sad, hopeless mood that:
•is present most days and lasts most of the day
•lasts for more than two weeks
•interferes with your ability to perform at work, at school or in social relationships.

For some the main symptom of depression is not as much their mood as much as
•a loss of interest or pleasure in things they usually are interested in or enjoy

Other symptoms of major depression may include:
•Changes in appetite or weight loss or gain
•Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping too much
•Loss of interest in work, hobbies, people or sex
•Withdrawal from family members and friends
•Irritability
•Loss of energy, feeling very tired
•Trouble concentrating, remembering and making decisions-you might fear you’re developing Alzheimer’s disease
•Crying easily, or feeling like crying but being not able to
•Thoughts of suicide (which should always be taken seriously)
•A loss of touch with reality, hearing voices (hallucinations) or having strange ideas (delusions).
•Feeling worthless, helpless or hopeless
•Overwhelming feelings of sadness or grief

Who gets depression?
At any given time, almost three million Canadians have serious depression. It occurs in 10-15% of men and 15-25% of women

What causes depression?
There is no one cause of depression, neither is it fully understood, however several factors may play a part. These include a family history of depression, problems with brain chemistry, or a major stress in a person's life.

Types of depression

Different types of depression have different symptoms. These include:

•Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder
Usually affected by the weather and time of the year.

•Postpartum depression
Occurs in women, following the birth of a child. About 13 per cent of women will experience this type of depression.

•Depression with psychosis
Depression may become so severe that a person loses touch with reality and experiences hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing people or objects that are not really there) or delusions (beliefs that have no basis in reality).

•Dysthymia
A chronically low mood with moderate symptoms of depression.
Depression is not a weakness or character flaw. It’s not your fault. It is a clinical condition. If you think you may be suffering from depression, don’t be embarrassed. This is not something you can fix alone, but a health professional can help!

How to treat depression
Depression is the most treatable of mental illnesses. Between 80-90% of all depressed people respond to treatment and nearly all depressed people who receive treatment see at least some relief from their symptoms.
The most commonly used treatments are medication, psychological, lifestyle and relationship counseling and sometimes electroconvulsive therapy. These treatments may be used individually or in combination. Support from family, friends and self-help groups can also make a big difference.

More information

For further information about depression contact a community organization, health care provider or your family doctor to find out about support and resources available in your community.

To see if you might be suffering from clinical Depression try a self test at http://www.checkupfromtheneckup.ca/

Web Sites:

National Institute of Mental Health
http:www//nimh.nih.gov

Depression is a Treatable Illness: A Patient's Guide http://mentalhealth.com/bookah/p44-dp.html

Understanding Depression
http://www.camh.net/about_addiction_mental_health/depression.html

Online Depression Screening
Sponsored by the National Mental Health Association
http://www.depression-screening.org/screeningtest/screeningtest.htm

Mood Disorders Association
http://www.mooddisorders.on.ca/dep.html

Canadian Mental Health Association http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-87〈=1

Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments
http://www.canmat.org

mentalhealthminute.com