Depression is nothing to be sneezed at and depression relief should be sought out as soon as humanly possible.At many points in one's life, feelings of overwhelming sadness, an almost paralyzing melancholy, are experienced. The death of a parent, friend or loved one is a typical example. The break-up of a relationship is another. The feelings that accompany these milestones in life are not, however, depression. Clinical depression exists if the symptoms experienced last for longer than normal, beyond four to six weeks in most cases, and either do not get better or may even get worse.
Learning to cope with depression is dependent on several factors. Of course, one must consider the intensity of the problem, how severe and how long it has been going on. Additionally, people respond to different treatment options differently. What works for Sam may have the polar opposite effect on Mary and so on. Some thrive on medication while others need talk-therapy and still others see no change unless they engage in both of these approaches.
It is also difficult for someone other than the patient to 'know' the precise level of pain one feels. Like any other pain, it is a subjective description. I recently had some pretty major surgery. About every four hours the nurse came to my room to take vital signs and assess my pain level. "On a scale of one to ten," she would ask, "what is your pain level?" My procedure was to replace my left hip so bone trauma along with muscle and tendon involvement contributed to my pain. Sure it hurt, but I never indicated a pain level over five. One nurse said to me that I should have a pain level of eight to ten at one point. My tolerance for pain, however, is higher than many people. What would be a ten for one person is a mere five for me.
My point is that pain is subjective; we must believe the patient's own reporting of pain and act accordingly. This is true for surgical procedures as well as for neurological disorders.
Causes of Clinical Depression
Depression can be caused by a perceived loss of control over one's life and surroundings. A feeling of dread, of being unable to make necessary corrections are often present. This may be set-up by outrageous expectations which lead to disappointment.
Some Common Symptoms
Emotional: sadness, anger, guilt, hopelessness and helplessness are all emotional signs of the disorder.
Physical: Sleep disorders (too much or insomnia), food issues (loss of appetite or weight gain), loss of interest in intimate relations and, for women, irregular periods are all physical symptoms.
Behavioral: Crying without apparent reason, withdrawal from social contact, irritability, withdrawal from activities that once brought great joy, abuse of drugs or alcohol or both, and impulsive behavior are all behavioral symptoms.
Thoughts: People with depressive disorder feel hopeless, point inward assuming guilt for the actions of the world. These thoughts may lead to deeper thoughts of ending it all through suicide.
Coping with depression means that one must be aware of the causes and learn techniques to change one's attitude toward life. Certainly depression hurts but it is manageable and need not create an obstacle to life that cannot be dealt with over time.
