Brief Introduction to Depression
This article gives a brief overview of Depression, a, find out more about Depression at our Public Health Information Session 'Bipolar & Depression' 7:00pm 30th June 2015.
[Trigger Warning – Depression & Suicide]
What is Depression
Depression is more than just feelings of sadness; it is a physically and mentally draining illness that impacts the daily lives of its sufferers. It is completely normal to feel sad if something upsetting happens to you, whether losing a job or breaking up with your partner; feeling sad after these events is completely normal. Depression is a far greater and more pervasive mood disorder, where feelings of sadness or being depressed do not go away after a normal period of time (i.e. 2-3 weeks).
Depression is a serious illness and due to the stigma attached to ‘being depressed’ and societal ignorance of mental illness, sufferer can often go untreated or be afraid to seek help. Depression, like a broken foot or Influenza, is a real disease/condition that requires medical treatment. Failing to seek out treatment can lead to devastating consequences like social network breakdown, physical deterioration, self-harm and suicide.
Self-Harm & Suicidal Thoughts
If you or someone you know has been having suicidal thoughts or engaged in self-harming, it is incredibly important you speak to someone immediately about it. Speak with a person you trust, like a family, friend, counsellor or teacher.
If you need to speak to someone now about you depressed mood and suicidal thoughts, please call an emergency mental health services like Lifeline 13 11 14.
Symptoms of Depression
The following are some examples of symptoms of Depression that people with Depression may exhibit. If you read these symptoms of Depression and think ‘wow, that’s me’ or ‘that sounds like my partner/friend/etc.’, you should speak to your GP (or ask your partner/friend/etc. about their feelings and encourage them to see a GP).
Symptoms of Depression – Feelings
- Lacking confidence, indecisive
- Feeling guilty, overwhelmed, alone
- Irritable, unhappy, frustrated, miserable and sad
Symptoms of Depression – Behaviour
- Choosing to withdraw from close family and friends, not going out anymore
- Work/School activities are not being completed, struggle to concentrate
- Relying on sedatives and/or alcohol
- Not doing activities you used to enjoy, finding it hard to do activities because of their lack of fulfillment and/or enjoyment
Symptoms of Depression – Thoughts
- “It’s all my fault”, “I failed again/ I fail everyday”, “I am completely worthless”,
- “No one would come to my funeral”, “Why am I being kept alive?”, “I could be lying here dead and no one would know”, “People would be better off without me.”
- “Life is sh%t, and no one cares”, “My life is a complete mess”
Symptoms of Depression – Physical
- Feeling tired, sick & rundown all the time
- Headaches, churning gut, muscular pains
- Problems with sleep
- Changing appetite, significant non-attributable (i.e. increased exercise) weight loss or weight gain
History of Depression
Depression has been prevalent since the dawn of human existence, but prior to the 1920’s, Depression was known as Melancholia. The ancient Greeks attributed Depression to an imbalance of the four humors; with the term melancholia meaning ‘black bile’. In the 11th Century, the Persian physician Avicenna, described in his work ‘The Canon of Medicine’ [1] Melancholia as a depressive mood disorder and this became the standard of medical thought throughout Europe and central Asia for many centuries.
Whilst numerous enlightenment & romantic era scholars, physicians & psychiatrists contributed to refining Depression, it wasn’t known as Depression until 20th Century psychiatrist Kurt Schneider coined the terms ‘reactive depression’ and ‘endogenous depression’ in the 1920’s. In the 1970s, Us Clinicians proposed the term Major Depressive Disorder and over the last 50 years there have been numerous scholarly debates and research into Depression.
Getting Help for Depression & Suicidal Thoughts
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in Australia; and the 3rd most common of all diseases within Australia [2]. If you or someone you knows is displaying symptoms of Depression, then you should talk to a close person about your feelings; ask them to listen to you and refrain from offering advice, as you really just need someone to care. Seeing your GP if you are displaying some Depression symptoms is a good step; as they can help point you in the right direction and refer you to trained professional. Lastly, there a numerous organisations out there that can help you such as: BeyondBlue, Headspace & Lifeline. AB Consultation and Counselling is available to help guide you on your road to recovery and deal with your Depression.
If you found this interesting and you want to learn more about Depression, then be sure to purchase your ticket for our Bipolar and Depression Seminar; hosted on 30th June 2015 at 7:00pm.
Clinical Director, Anneke Bull is providing an in-depth presentation about Bipolar and Depression. Anneke Bull spent over 30 years working in the public mental healthcare system and she has seen it all.
So if you are interested in learning more about the interesting world of Bipolar and Depression, then you won’t want to miss out on this presentation.