Feeling Down.Should I See a Doctor?
In an average year, thirteen to fourteen million people will suffer a depressive disorder. That is a very high statistic, equaling almost seven percent of the population. Of those that reported depression, ninety-seven percent said that it affected all aspects of their lives including home, relationships, and work. So how can you tell if you're suffering from depression, or just a fit of the blues?
First you need a definition of depression. A good one comes from the website www.dbsalliance.org: Depression is a treatable illness involving an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. But what does that mean? It means that the difference between the blues and real depression can be completely physiological.
This can be a relief to some who don't understand why they have been down for such an extended period of time, but it is also true that depressive episodes can be brought on by life crises or a build-up of stress as well. This disorder is more common in women, the elderly, and minorities, but no one is immune.
A good way to tell if what you're experiencing is depression or a mood is to check the symptoms.
|
|
HOW LONG?
How long have you been having these feelings? Depression is usually characterized by an unusually long period of sadness wherein the sufferer loses interest in things that used to give them pleasure. Food, work, and sleep can all be overdone or underdone during this period. Often the person doesn't understand what is happening, they just can't seem to function like they used to. This can cause anxiety, worsening the situation. Moods come and go; if you feel depressed one night, but normal the next morning, you are probably fine. On a side note, if however, you feel depressed one night and then overly excited or happy the next morning, it would be good to get checked for manic-depressive disorder.
HOW BAD?
Depression usually entails feelings that are much worse than a regular bad mood. A bad mood might include insecurity, anxiety, or stress. Depression however often includes guilt, shame, anxiety, despair, and sometimes anger. The longer it lasts, the more discouraging these feelings can get.
Depression can also manifest itself physically. This process is called `somatization', and can cause aches, pains, weight gain or loss, and migraines. 80% of people who go to visit their physician are depressed. Moods will never manifest themselves this way; ice cream headaches from the consumption of an entire carton of Ben and Jerry's don't count.
The best reason to visit your doctor is if you don't understand the cause of your depression. Some episodes are set off by traumatic life events, but they usually continue much longer than a normal reaction would. If you have suffered a traumatic event but feel you are past the point where you should be feeling normal again, you should see a doctor or a psychiatrist. Either one can properly diagnose depression, and one will often recommend you to the other. If you don't see any reason at all for you to be feeling depressed, go see your doctor. It's possible that your feelings are being caused by an imbalance of your neurotransmitters.
If you are diagnosed with depression, be sure to learn every option from your doctor or therapist. Not all anti-depressants help all people; every case is different. Therapy is usually somewhat effective, more severe cases often benefit from a combination of therapy and prescriptions. Be sure to have a close friend who knows what you are going through; recent studies have shown that having close relationships with others greatly increases the incidence of recovery from depression. Whatever the case may be, remember that depression is a completely treatable disease.
