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Welcome to the Panic Room
Depression
If you are reading this because you suffer from depression or you know
or care for someone who does, or even if you're not sure, then rest
assured, you're far from alone.
Everyone has bad days when life no longer seems worthwhile,
difficult tasks suddenly seem impossible and problems seem like they
will never be solved. Most people are able to shrug off those feelings
and go on to have better days. When the bad days outweigh the good and
start to stretch into weeks and then months, however, then that can
indicate a bigger problem.
This article aims to help people understand what depression is; a
recognised, treatable medical illness, and to help people recognise the
symptoms in themselves and others.
What is Depression?
Depression is a medical term used to describe symptoms of psychological
distress. In its mildest form, depression can cause lowered mood, a
reduced enjoyment of life and can make everyday life feel harder and
less worthwhile. Severe depression can become life-threatening, people
may feel like killing themselves or give up the will to live.
Feeling sad or fed up with life can affect everyone. The difference
with depression is that it is an actual illness, which causes intense
feelings of sadness or hopelessness and can also cause physical
problems, such as loss of energy and sleep disturbance.
Depression is not a sign of personal weakness and people with a
depressive illness cannot simply "snap out of it". Depression is,
however, a treatable illness and forward progress in the different
treatments is being made every day.
There are several different types of illness falling into the category
of "depressive disorders"
Are you depressed? Do you feel like you could need medical
advice for your depression? If you are looking for information on symptoms of depression, sign online today. Our online medical dictionary can give you the best information on
signs of depression and so many more health topics!
Major Depression: A combination
of symptoms which seriously interfere the ability to work, study,
sleep, eat and enjoy life.
Dysthymia: This is a less
serious form of depression, which involves less serious symptoms, which
make life feel more difficult than usual and keep sufferers from
functioning well or feeling good.
Bear in mind that the categories above are simply used to group
people together and the root cause of the depression is the same.
Bipolar Disorder: This is also
referred to as "Manic Depression" and is less common than other forms
of depression. People suffering from bipolar disorder can cycle between
intense highs (known as mania) and lows (depression).
Symptoms of Depressive
illness
Depression and bipolar disorder can affect different people in
different ways, which can make it difficult for others to recognise the
illness. Generally, depression and mania result in the following
symptoms:
Depression:
Tiredness and lack of energy
Feelings of persistant sadness or hopelessness
Loss of confidence, feelings of low self-esteem
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness
Feelings of numbness or emptyness
Reduced enjoyment of activites that were usually pleasurable
Sleep disturbance, such as not being able to sleep, early-morning
awakening, or oversleeping
Difficulty in concentrating, remembering or making decisions
Avoidance of other people, even close friends.
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Raised use of tobacco, alcohol or drugs
Loss of sex drive and/or sexual problems
Thoughts or acts of self-harm or suicide
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as
headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
Mania:
Increased physical and mental energy
Decreased need for sleep
Racing speech, racing thoughts
Increased sexual desire
Grand notions, feelings of self-importance
Increased feelings of irritability and/or agressive behaviour
Impulsive and/or easily distracted
Reckless behaviour, poor judgement
In more severe cases, delusions and/or hallucinations
As a general rule, people who have experienced four or more of
these
symptoms for most of the day, every day, for over two weeks should seek
help.
Some people suffer from Anxiety Disorders, which while different
from Depressive Disorders, can disrupt your life and functioning just
as badly.
What is Generalized Anxiety
Disorder?
The core symptoms of GAD are persistent psychological anxiety,
nervousness, or worry that continue over time and that are to some
extent uncontrollable—that is, the person cannot put these symptoms out
of mind at will.” (R. Kessler, 2002)
Symptoms:
Apprehension (worries about future misfortunes, feeling "on edge",
difficulty in concentrating, etc.);
Motor tension (restless fidgeting, tension headaches, trembling,
inability to relax); and
Autonomic overactivity (lightheadedness, sweating, tachycardia or
tachypnoea, epigastric discomfort, dizziness, dry mouth, etc.). ICD-10)
Common symptoms: (DSM IV)
Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
Being easily fatigued
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless
unsatisfying sleep)
The sufferer must have primary symptoms of anxiety most days for at
least several weeks at a time, and usually for several months.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a common, chronic illness. Although panic symptoms
have been well described for over a century, only in the past decade it
has become widely recognized as a distinct psychiatric illness. In
panic disorder, brief episodes of intense fear are accompanied by
multiple physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and diziness that
occur repeatedly and unexpectedly in the absence of any external
threat. These "panic attacks" are believed to occur when the brain's
normal mechanism for reacting to a threat--the "fight or flight"
repsonse--becomes inappropriately aroused.
The intensity of the attack can be extremely severe and many people
feel they are having a heart attack an/or are going to die.
A panic attack involves the sudden onset of at least four of the
following symptoms:
Chest pain or discomfort.
Choking.
Dizziness, unsteady feelings, or faintness.
Fear of dying.
Fear of going crazy or losing control.
Feelings of unreality, strangeness of detachment from ones environment.
Flushes or chills.
Nausea or abdominal distress.
Numbness or tingling sensation.
Palpitations (throbbing) or accelerated heart rate.
Shortness of breath or a smothering sensation.
Sweating, trembling, or shacking.
Symptoms must peak within 10 min and usually dissipate within
minutes, leaving little for a physician to observe except the person's
fear of another terrifying panic attack.
If you or someone in your life is suffering from any of these
disorders, it can be frightening and knowing where to start to get
better is daunting. Usually, a trip to your MD is in order, if the
symptoms are disrupting your life. Most people feel very hesitant to
speak with their doctors about something like this, fearing negative
reactions, judgement, or social ostracization. However, it is estimated
that up to 10% of the population of most industrialized nations feel
the effects of these disorders at some point during their life. Your
doctor will not be shocked, nor will he be judgemental! In some
instances your doctor may be able to prescribe an anti-depressant
medication, or an anti-anxiety medication that will stop your symptoms.
If your doctor doesn't feel qualified to deal with it himself, he will
be able to refer you to someone who can. Some people find that with
just a few months of medical treatment, they are symptom free. Others
find they need to continue to take medication for the rest of their
lives, but have no symptoms so long as they take their medication as
indicated by their doctors. Yet others find that talk therapy or
behavioral therapy will help them enormously and don't need medication
at all.
Many people find that an online support group is a wonderful way to
deal with the way they're feeling. The advantages to an online support
group include anonymity, the ability to talk about things that you're
not comfortable discussing with immediate family members or friends,
and the ability to find someone to talk to 24 hours a day. Any search
engine will be able to provide numerous links to depression support
groups, using either "Depression Forums" or "Depression Support Online"
as your keywords. Important things to remember when looking for online
support is that you want a group of people who are supportive and who
want to get well too. Also, remember online security! Don't give out
personal information that will identify you directly or where you live
without getting to know everyone first!
***Numbers to call for more
information, or if you're in danger of hurting yourself right now***
In the USA, for adults:
National Hopeline Network
1-800-SUICIDE
1-800-784-2433
Suicide Prevention Hot Line
1-800-827-7571
National Crisis Line
1-866-334-HELP
1-866-334-4357
In the USA, for teens:
Children of the Night
1-800-551-1300
Talk, 24hrs a day about anything. If they cant help, they will refer
you to someone who can.
Youth Crisis Hotline
1-800-448-4663
Boys Town USA
Girls & Boys Town
National Hotline
1-800-448-3000
TTY: 1-800-448-1833
Email: Hotline@boystown.org
In Canada:
Kid's Help Phone
1.800.668.6868
Child Abuse Hotline
1.800.387.KIDS (5437)
Northern Alberta only: Distress and Suicide Line
1.800.232.7288
In Australia:
Kids Free Help Line
1.800.551.800
Helpline
Mental illness information and referral
1.800.817.569
Lifeline
131.114
In the UK:
Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NL,
UK.
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7210 4850 (10am - 12.30pm and 2pm - 5pm Monday to
Friday).
Email: dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Minicom: + 44 (0) 20 7210 5025. Website: www.doh.gov.uk
Responsible for health care services within England including The
National Service Framework for Mental Health
Mind, Granta House, 15-19 Broadway, London E15 4BQ, UK.
Mind Information Line: + 44 (0) 20 8522 1728 if you live in Greater
London or + 44 (0) 8457 660 163 if you live elsewhere (9.15am-4.45pm
Mon, Wed & Thur)
Email: email@mind.org.uk
Website: www.mind.org.uk
Covers all aspects of mental health including legal matters for service
users, carers, family and friends, researchers, students, service
providers and the public.
NHS Direct
Tel: + 44 (0) 845 4647.
Website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/
A 24 hour nurse-led telephone advice and information service, part of
the National Health Service.
Can advise you about local health care services in your area.
If you need someone to talk to urgently and in confidence – the
Samaritans are able to offer emotional support 24 hours a day.
Call them on 08457 90 90 90 or visit their website at www.samaritans.org.uk
SANE also offer a helpline, which runs from 12 noon until 2am. The
number is: 0845 767 8000 or visit their website at http://www.sane.org.uk
Sources:
MIND - http://www.mind.org.uk
Depression Alliance - http://www.depressionalliance.org
National Institute of Mental Health (USA) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) - http://www.dbsalliance.org
National Statistics Online - http://www.statistics.gov.uk
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