Sometime or the other in our lives we have experienced a rejection or been in an unfavorable situation making us feel sad. We have adapted to experience such moments and bounce back really quickly. These emotions could be sadness, disappointment or irritation and can be transient. Depression is different than just being sad.
There are times when we loosely use the word depression to describe what appears to be a simple state of disappointment, “Oh! I did not find my favorite dress in this store, I am so depressed”. Let us take some time and understand what depression actually is.
Depression is a mental illness having a biological basis. Its symptoms are consistent and can affect all domains of our lives which is not the case in day to day sadness. Depression can be seen with different intensity in various conditions like Bipolar Affective Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Post Partum Depression, Grief reaction, Adjustment Disorders. It can be seen in children, adults and old aged people, however a professional will be able assess that whether the condition will be diagnosed as clinical depression or can resolve on its own. The most common symptoms are listed here awareness.
Symptoms of Depression
- Constant feeling of being sad: The mood in depression is usually low and sad; it can be difficult to cheer up a person in depression. I remember my patient who was for so long, waiting for getting a promotion, and while he was undergoing depression, the news of promotion did not give him any satisfaction and happiness. The person can feel extreme sadness and have constant crying spells.
- Negative thoughts: Depressed person may undergo a lot of pessimistic thoughts about himself and about his future. The environment may seem bleak and no hope is seen. Individuals may appear helpless and question their worth. It is therefore common to have suicidal thoughts in depression, and unfortunately many of them end their lives as well.
- Losing interest in previously loved activities: Depression can make us feel disinterested even in our hobbies. We may not be able to derive the same level of pleasure. An artist when undergoes depression may not be able to feel the same excitement and fun painting and may not even want to paint at all.
- Constant tiredness and lack of motivation: Feeling of fatigue and losing out on energy is also one of the characteristic to watch out for. A patient of mine preferred being on bed and even taking a shower or brushing his teeth would drain out his energy. Many a time families feel that the individual is just being lazy and families indulge in giving rude comments and taunting. A depressed person may feel tired even after doing simplest of thing and may not have the zeal and drive to do what he previously did.
- Decreased attention and concentration: Depression impacts our ability to focus and sustain that focus leading to easy distraction and zoning out between tasks. I recall one patient’s mother used to complain that the patient now takes more than a day to complete her necessary project and at times she would not even write a word in many hours, which earlier she would usually complete in one hour. This can happen commonly in depressive episodes.
- Decreased confidence in self: Depression creates a lot of errors in our thinking process; we may start believing negatively about ourselves. It can make us distrust our capabilities and capacities. We may hesitate in taking decisions and may seek constant external approval.
- Disturbances in sleep and appetite: Depression can impact the body clock as well; a person may find difficulty in falling asleep or can have excessive sleepiness throughout the day. The person may not feel fresh after waking up and can have extreme negative thoughts in the mornings. Appetite can also fluctuate and as a consequence people may not feel hungry at all or in some cases have emotionally driven eating. This may further lead to disturbances in weight.
- Anxiety and bodily concerns can also be present alongside in the form of restlessness, palpitations, indigestion to name a few.
Treatment and Management
Depression is treatable like any other illness, when you see a person going through these signs and symptoms, it is necessary to take a relevant step. Depression can be managed through medications and psychotherapy combined. Medicines manage the biological components of the illness whereas psychotherapy helps in dealing with psychological basis of the same leading to a holistic recovery.
Psychotherapy entails behaviorally activating the person with constant support, challenging erroneous thinking pattern and working on coping skills for preventing relapse.
As family members, it is to be noted that a depressed person is facing these symptoms for real. As easy it may seem to get out of the bed and do chores, may not be easy for someone undergoing a depressive episode. Family can express empathy and help the patient regain his confidence.
In order to get help in India or outside India you may visit the following:
https://www.thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/find-help/helplines
Conclusion
In conclusion I want to highlight that yes depression is very much real and it is nothing like sadness that we often feel which comes and goes, its is capable in producing extreme negative thoughts which may force the person to hurt themselves. Depression requires a proper treatment and people recover. It has been highly prevalent in all age group and does not spare any social group. By being aware we can successfully help our loved ones and ourselves.
Note: This article is not a diagnostic tool it has the sole purpose of creating awareness. If you see the above mentioned signs and symptoms in yourself and your loved ones, I would highly recommend you to consult a mental health professional.