Mental Illness Warning Signs – Depression

• November 14th, 2011
• Posted by Daniel A. Franz
• Uncategorized
• 1 Comment

We have again entered that time of year where depression likes to raise it’s ugly head.

Depression – not just the winter blues, but the clinically diagnosable drastic downturn in mood, affect, and behavior; is often associated with a change in neurochemistry, a “chemical imbalance”.

This tendency towards a chemical imbalance is often already present through a genetic predisposition – if mom, or dad, brother or sister, or anyone in your family has struggled with depression, you are more likely to have a tendency towards acquiring it.
But don’t worry, a majority of us are.

We know if you have struggled with a Major Depressive Episode once, you have a greater chance of going through it again.  Usually the pattern is to a resurgence of symptoms every 3-4 years.

We also know that the time of year can impact the possibility of a depressive episode.
Colder days, less sunlight resulting in waking up in the dark, working in unnatural light, and coming home in the dark can deplete us important vitamins and nutrients provided by the sun.  Our body’s tendency to want to hibernate during this time of year doesn’t help either.  Factor in the stress we put ourselves through due to the holiday’s, increased time with family members you only see occasionally, and the struggle to find “the perfect gift”; and you got the perfect storm to welcome depression in to your life.

So, what can you do about it?  The most important thing you can do is to simply be aware of symptoms in yourself, and the ones around you.  Catching depression early is the first step in quick and successful treatment.  It can be quickly and effectively treated in a relatively brief amount of time when it is caught early, it is more difficult to address if it goes undetected
or untreated for a prolonged amount of time.  When left unchecked, depression becomes progressively worse and can occasionally result in psychosis or suicide.  Catch it early, get it treated, and pay attention to potential resurgences.

If you, or someone you care about, experience more than half of these symptoms, get help.

• difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions

• fatigue and decreased energy

• feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness

• feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism

• insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping

• irritability, restlessness

• loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex

• overeating or appetite loss

• persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment

• persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings

• thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts