Depression - it really CAN kill you
Did you know that it’s estimated that almost 20 million people in the United States are ‘clinically’ depressed? And that many people that could be considered as depressed don’t know it? They don’t know that what they’re feeling isn’t normal, that they don’t have to feel this way. Clinical depression means depression that isn’t caused by a recent trauma of some kind. Severity ranges from mild to major, depending on the symptoms and the impact on the sufferer’s daily lifestyle.
What I’ve got they used to call the blues
Nothing is really wrong
Feeling like I don’t belong
Hangin’ around
Nothin’ to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down— Rainy Days and Mondays, The Carpenters
Depression isn’t the ‘Monday morning blues’, or having a ‘down day’. Clinical depression, whether mild or major, is a pervasive, potentially serious illness. It can have profound health consequences as well as having a great impact on day-to-day living. Severe, major depression can completely immobilize a person, even causing a complete withdrawal from daily living–or a withdrawal from actual living, in the case of suicides.
Consequences of depression can include:
- increased risk of suicide
- an increase in the production of stress hormones like cortisol
- decrease production of sex hormones and reduce sex drive
- can cause permanent memory damage if untreated
- increased risk of stroke, asthma, heart disease, cancer, pneumonia
- an elevated risk of returning to addictive behaviors such as smoking, drug use, or drinking
- aggravated feelings of anger and hostility
So, if depression isn’t just ‘the blues’, what is it? How can a person recognize that they may be suffering from actual depression so he or she can take steps to deal with it?
What depression is and isn’t
The following symptoms come from the psychiatric ‘bible’: the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the book that mental health professionals consult to diagnose mental conditions.
A mild disclaimer: I am not, nor have I ever been, a psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health practitioner, or even a health practitioner. The information contained in the following articles is based solely on my own research of online and offline materials, additionally on personal experience with major depression. If, after having thoughtfully read this post, you feel you may be suffering from major or clinical depression, I urge you to seek competent help from a health practitioner.
Severe depression can be characterized by the experience of 5 of the following 9 symptoms for a period longer than two weeks, and that you haven’t experienced a major traumatic event in the last 18 months, such as the death of a loved one. In other words, it’s not just ‘feeling down for a couple of days’, and it isn’t completely caused by recent emotional trauma. In addition, in order to be classified ‘officially’ as depression, at least one of the first two conditions must be present. If at least one of those conditions isn’t present, it’s not likely that you’re suffering from depression–but there might be something else going on. That’s why it’s important to not try to deal with depression by yourself. There may be an underlying medical cause for some of the symptoms that needs to be addressed.
9 Symptoms of depression
- deep sadness or a feeling of emptiness or apathy nearly every day for the past 2 weeks or more
- diminished interest or pleasure in all or nearly all activities for the past 2 weeks or more
- a decrease or an increase in appetite, causing you to lose or gain more than 5% of your body weight
- sleep differences of more than 40 minutes from your norm, either more or less
- agitated or irritated with yourself or others, or physically moving slower than you usually do
- extreme fatigue or loss of energy
- feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, or a feeling that you’re just not useful any more
- a diminished ability to think or concentrate, or having trouble making everyday decisions. A decrease in your ability to make sound decisions
- recurrent thoughts of death, or having seriously contemplated hurting someone else. Serious contemplation of or attempting suicide.
NOTICE: please — if you are currently having serious thoughts or plans for suicide, please, please, get in touch with a health practitioner. You can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis.
In the next article, we’ll explore those symptoms in a little more detail. In later articles, we’ll discover some of the causes for depression, and some of the things that can be done to lessen or eliminate depression.
This article is the first in a series about depression: how it can affect you, ways you can recognize it, and some things you can do about it.
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Christy on January 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I know I have a serious problem. I have had suicidal thoughts and dreams of my death for more then 10 years. This illness has kept me from having a “normal” life and I have pushed away everyone who gets close to me. I have a good career but worry that I may soon lose that too due to my numbness and loss of memory. I know I need to get professional help but dont exactly know where to start. How to you tell someone about your depression and how do i know they will even take me seriously. I couldn’t bear the ridicule
Steve on January 2nd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Start with the phone book. Mental health professionals will NOT ridicule you when you look for help. They, above all people, know the serious effects of clinical depression.
They will NOT tell anyone you know. YOU don’t have to tell anyone, either. Whatever you tell a doctor stays with the doctor. They don’t go blabbing all over town. You are protected by law in this, so put that way down on your list of worries.
If you can’t afford to see a private professional, check the county or city government agencies in your phone book. Call them and see what options you may have. Do it from a pay phone, if you want.
But do it. Today.
There are some things, Cindy, that are very difficult to handle on your own. This is one of them. It doesn’t mean that you’re incompetent or weird, or weak-willed. It doesn’t mean anything negative. It means that it’s time to reach out a hand to those who are willing and able to help you. You are not an island.
Please. Call someone TODAY. You’ll be so glad you did.
Listen to this song, and its message:
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don’t let show
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear
That you can’t carry
I’m right up the road
I’ll share your load
If you just call me
So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’d understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me…
“Lean On Me” by Bill Withers
Sue on January 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Ten years ago, the man to whom I was engaged committed suicide. I have never been a big fan of life, and after he died, I didn’t see much reason to stick around, missing him terribly.
I didn’t leave this life only because I am not ‘free’ to do so. I have 2 children from a previous marriage, so have a social and moral obligation to stick around and raise them. But, oh, once they’re raised, I’m outta here!
It’s strange that while most people see it as a success that I’ve stuck around and raised my kids (they’re almost old enough to be independent now), no one WANTS to see that I simply don’t like being alive. I miss my boyfriend, don’t like working for a living, am not terribly atractive, don’t have enough money to really enjoy life, and find every day to be a burden. I feel like a failure for NOT saying F#$K EVERYBODY! It’s my life and I don’t want it anymore! Every day that I stay alive is another day that I’ve lived for other people.
People tell me to be glad for my health. I tell them that my health is the problem!
I find it amusing that my oldest child hates me and often wishes me dead. So I stuck around to raise a kid that wishes I was dead? How ironic.
It’s insulting to have so many people insist that anyone who does not like to be alive has a disease, a mental illness. I’m not mentally ill…I don’t like it here!
I detest that I must spend so much of my time doing things that bore me to tears and make me angry…work all blessed day at a job so that I can pay rent and buy food so that I can go back to the blessed job the next day. Work extra hard so that I won’t get fired, only to receive a poor review and no raise. I have ADHD so I am not good at structured jobs, but unstructured jobs don’t pay enough to raise two kids with a deadbeat dad. I buy my kids nice things and make sure we live in a safe neighborhood where they can make friends and go to good schools, only to have them yell at me and mess up the house and threaten me with child protective services, and tell their friends what an asshole I am. Listen to them bicker bicker bicker and fight over doing the smallest chore. Pick up the slack from my ex leaving them totally to me to raise and support.
Get up tomorrow and do it all again.
There are some people who just don’t like the human experience and want out. I am one of those people.
I’ve done the shrinks. I’ve done the antidepressants (gained 75lbs!). I’ve done the family counseling. I still don’t like it here. And I still have to go to work tomorrow.
I’m not going to leave the planet just yet, because there’s still an obligation to those kids (whom I don’t love anymore, they have just worn me out with their mean, selfish behavior) yet, but I look forward to the day when I can say “Sayonara!” and find some peace.
Maybe my late boyfriend will be there to greet me. It’s something to hope for, anyway. At least he loved me.
Laurie on January 21st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I too feel like you do, but you say your not mentally ill but just do not like life anymore, I would love to give you words of cheer, but I won@t I suggest you spend some time working in a morge looking at some of the dead bodys that cannot move anymore, also you should get a job in the morge reception and see the pain on the faces of the familys that have to identifie there loveones due to natural death or suicide if at this stage you still whish to commit suicide then maybe you cannot be helped, but theres something you are missing, do you really think that anyone can take there own life and just get away with doing such a thing, I DONT THINK SO, your life is not yours to take. TRUST ME
ANTI-REALITY on January 30th, 2008 at 9:26 am
IM WITH YOU SUE..AND THAT’S REALLY SAD.
BUT I DONT REALLY HATE LIFE… ITS JUST THE PEOPLE THAT I HATE. I AM ANTI-REALITY. SOMETIMES I NEVER WANTED TO WAKE UP ANYMORE. I DONT KNOW IF “GOD” OR “JESUS” IS HELPING ME. IM TRYING TO HELP MYSELF BUT ITS NOT ENOUGH. ITS REALLY TOUGH LIVING UR LIFE WITH PEOPLE WHO DOESNT REALLLY SEEM TO CARE AT ALL.. AND MAYBE WHEN IM DEAD I HOPE ILL FIND THE PLACE WHERE I TRULLY BELONG. COS THIS WORLD IS FULL OF HATRED AND ANGER FOR SO LONG.
Laura on February 23rd, 2008 at 11:19 am
Yeah well I have all the symptoms for a few years now everyday. I have never broken a law, hurt anyone or been a bad person. My ex has 4 of my 5 children and won’t let me see them or even talk to them. He bonded out of jail and even got away from homeland security. Being kept from my children is killing me…I can’t stand the pain anymore and no one cares or will help me..I am nothing now..I tried fighting the only ways that I knew and it was not good enough. I will not make it much longer..the depression is destroying all that was good in me…Even God does not hear my prayers anymore…THis is hell