A devastating illness, affecting
one in four women and one in
10 men at some point in their
lives
Black dog, the blues, down in
the dumps, the vapours “
whatever you call it, it’s a rare
human who doesn’t feel low
from time to time. But
occasional sad days are a million
miles from true depression.
Though many casually use the
term “depressed” to describe
their glum moments, the
condition is much more than
simply feeling melancholy.
The fact is that depression is an
illness, where sadness is
persistent and intense and
feelings of helplessness and
hopelessness are accompanied
by debilitating physical effects.
As Depression Alliance notes,
these include disturbed sleep,
loss of energy and even physical
aches and pains.
Contrary to what some may
believe, “snapping out” of a true
depression is impossible: the
only way to escape its clutches
is to seek proper medical advice.
UK health charities are keen to
share the warning signs of this
devastating illness, which affects
one in four women and one in
10 men at some point in their
lives.
“Sometimes people may not
realise how depressed they are,
especially if they have been
feeling the same for a long time,
if they have been trying to cope
with their depression by
keeping themselves busy, or if
their depressive symptoms are
more physical than emotional,”
explains Depression Alliance.
“As a general rule, if you have
experienced four or more of
these symptoms, for most of the
day nearly every day, for over
two weeks, then you should
seek help.”
They include:
Tiredness and loss of
energyPersistent low mood or
sadnessLoss of self-confidence
and self-esteemFeeling hopeless
and helplessDifficulty
concentratingFeeling
tearfulFeeling guilt-riddenNot
being able to enjoy things that
are usually pleasurableSleeping
problems - difficulties in getting
to sleep or waking much earlier
than usualAvoiding other
peopleFinding it hard to
function at work/college/
schoolLoss of appetiteLoss of
sex drivePhysical aches and
painsThinking about suicide
and deathSelf-harm
The symptoms of depression
can have a knock-on effect on
daily life, with work suffering,
social contact falling away and
increased difficulties in home
and family life.
As the NHS Livewell site notes:
“Depression can come on
gradually, so it can be difficult to
notice something is wrong.”
Often it takes a friend or family
member to suggest there may
be a problem. And while there is
no single cause, it can be
triggered by a host of different
factors “ from bereavement to
divorce, illness, job worries,
money issues or a combination
of things that lead to a
“downward spiral”.
There are some genetic factors,
too, and hormonal changes,
such as giving birth, can lead to
increased instances of
depression.
But what can you do if it is
blighting your life? The key
thing is to see a GP: while there
may seem no way out of the
mire, the fact is that the sooner
you seek help the sooner the
depression will lift.
Treatments vary from simple
exercise and talking therapies
for milder depression, to
antidepressants or a
combination of the above if
symptoms are more severe.
As Patient UK points out:
“Treatment takes time to work
but has a good chance of
success.”
There are also some simple self-
help tips to follow that can stop
depression from getting worse.
They include:
Don’t bottle things up “ tell
people close to you how you
feelDon’t despair “ most people
with depression recoverTry to
distract yourself with simple
things such as watching TV or
listening to the radio “ especially
if sleeping is a problemEat
regularly and healthily even if
your appetite is lackingTry to
take regular exercise in the
open air, even if just a brisk
walkDon’t drink too much
alcohol, which can make
problems worseAvoid making
major decisions while
depressed “ for example
quitting a job, moving house or
finishing a relationship. Seek
treatment firstTell your doctor if
you feel you are getting worse,
and particularly if suicidal
thoughts are troubling you. Visit http://e-healthdiary.com for more health infos

I was reading the post. The way depression and its factors have been described here it is really great. Depression is a serous issue and if proper care is not taken in order to control it there can a lot many different issues which can affect you.




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valkee

ok thanks for the comment