Several recent clinical studies are showing more and more illnesses are related to depression, including: osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, eye disease and back pain.
Depression can take on many faces depending upon the person, their age, and their gender. Overall, the best thing to be aware of is a significant change in activity or behavior.
Depression In Teens
Depression in teenagers can be difficult to identify, as their mood cycles are
traditionally erratic. In general, females tend to suffer from depression more than
males, but don’t overlook a young male whose behavior has changed. Again, the
things to look out for are marked changes in behavior. If the teen tends to be social
and there’s been a significant reduction in their social activities, than that might be
an indication that he or she is depressed. Is the phone ringing a lot less? Have they
become more withdrawn from the family? Are they sleeping excessively but still
seeming to be tired a lot? It’s also not unusual for them to be especially irritable and
cranky. Tearfulness is yet another sign. Grades in school often decline as the teen
becomes more distracted and less attentive.
Drug use is also a concern for teens that are depressed"as it is for anyone suffering
from this problem"because people often medicate their depression with alcohol
and /or drugs to try to feel better.
Depression in Adults
Adults tend to hide their depression a little better than kids. They’ve learned how to
put a mask on and act as if everything is fine, even when it is not. Appetite is often
a strong indicator. The loss of appetite is most common, however there are those
who sooth themselves with food so, in that case, you would expect to see a weight
gain. Sexual appetite is another variable that is often identified. Depression puts a
damper on sexual desire. Essentially when a person stops doing those activities that
they used to enjoy, there’s a good chance that depression can be a factor.
Depression In The Elderly
The elderly suffer from depression a lot more than is reported. The older generation
still feels a lot of shame and embarrassment about mental illnesses. The harsh
reality of the elderly is that their friends are dying on a regular basis. These losses
bring up many different feelings, ranging from loneliness and loss to the realization
that their time is also limited. Withdrawal is a common sign, as well as weight loss,
fatigue and irritability. It is critical to have the elderly evaluated by a competent
gerontologist (a doctor who specializes in the older population) to rule out
worrisome medical concerns.
Discussing Suicide
When a family member is discovered to be depressed, there is often a reluctance to
be direct and straight forward with them. Often people think what if I ask the person
if they feel like they want to end their life, and I’ve gotten them thinking about
suicide when they hadn’t previously considered it? That will never happen. If a
person is severely depressed, they will most likely have given some thought to
ending their life. Vague, passing thoughts about suicide are normal for everyone at
one time or another. What you need to be worried about is if a person has actually
constructed a plan to end their life. Another phenomenon to watch out for is if
someone who had been previously very depressed suddenly seems to be fine"
happy even"and starts giving their possessions away. Do not be fooled into
thinking that this person has made a spontaneous recovery.
So, if someone takes a sudden turn for the better and starts giving things away, or if
someone talks to you about having a specific plan to end their life, you MUST take
action. These are definitely cases of it being better to err on the side of caution. Let
the person know that you are concerned about them, and ask that they speak with a
mental health professional. You might offer to get an appointment for them and
then take them to the appointment. If they refuse treatment, it is essential that you
contact a mental health professional and seek their advice. You can search the
internet, the phone book, or call information to get the number for your community
mental health center. Most community mental health centers have an emergency
clinician on call 24 hours a day to assist in such an emergency. Do not leave the
person alone until they’ve been evaluated and it has been determined that they’re
able to be left without supervision. People often feel concerned about upsetting the
person by pushing for evaluation or treatment. The most important thing here is to
prevent a suicide. Even if the person is initially angry, once their depression lifts
they will be forever grateful that you intervened on their behalf. Depression is a life
threatening illness. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Imagine this….a person feels so miserable that they decide they can’t take feeling
this badly for another minute. But the good news is that the vast majority of people
suffering from depression will recover and continue to have normal lives. I’ve
occasionally had to make deals with my patients. I’ve suggested that they give me
3-6 months to help them feel good again. If I’m unable to help them change their
perspective and feel better, then I’ll consider the possibility that suicide is the only
remaining option for them. In all of my 25 years of seeing patients, it’s never come
to that. Although not everyone has achieved perfect “normalcy” within that time
period, the vast majority of people experience a considerable enough improvement
to warrant wanting to continue their life.
Don’t be afraid to talk about depression. Don’t be afraid of tears. There is help
available for everyone. Most community mental health centers receive state and
federal funds so they have the opportunity to provide treatment and no or low cost.
Everyone today can find some kind of treatment if they need it.
BestDepressionResources.com
Several recent clinical studies are showing more and more illnesses are related to depression, including: osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, eye disease and back pain.
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