How and Why Help for Depression Is Needed

Did you know that about 10-15% of the population will suffer from depression during their lifetime? It is a common illness that affects an enormous number of people worldwide. Although depression is seen more often in women and elderly people, men are affected by it as well, but help for depression is available.

There are several different treatments for depression and receiving help is often successful in most people who suffer from it. It can be a relief to realize this, as the symptoms of depression can have an incapacitating effect on all who suffer from it and significantly affect those who care for them.

In this article, you will find more about what causes depression, and how to treat it, so that you or anyone experiencing it and their friends and family can better understand the illness. By arming yourself with knowledge, you will be able to maximize the benefits that treatment offers.

Understanding depression better

Depression is an illness. Like other illnesses, it can significantly impact every aspect of someone’s life. This includes their enjoyment of hobbies and fun activities, their ability to perform well at work, and their relationships.

One significant feature of depression is that no two people display it in the same manner, which can make it difficult to diagnose. While a well-known feature is that one suffers from a low mood and is generally more pessimistic with a loss of interest in activities they previously thought of as fun, there are many other common symptoms. Some of these are:

• Weight changes.
• Headaches, backaches, and other physical symptoms.
• Reduced appetite.
• Feeling irritable.
• Feeling guilty and helpless.
• Feeling anxious.
• Finding it difficult to get up in the morning.
• Always feeling tired or lacking energy.
• Trouble with sleeping, this can be falling asleep when going to bed, or waking in the night and not being able to fall back asleep.
• Indecisiveness and a lack of focus.

As you can see, there is a great variety of symptoms that can develop over a period of weeks, or months, with several being present at once.

Depression myths

There are some common impressions of depression and its treatment that are not only inaccurate but can also be harmful. Knowing what depression is not will help you to separate fact from fiction.

Myth: Depression just means you feel down.

Truth: Depression can have a deeply significant effect on each part of your life, and when someone is depressed, they are not simply feeling a bit down.

Myth: Depression is a sign of weakness.

Truth: It is not self-induced or a sign of weakness. No one can cause himself or herself to have depression. It happens when there is an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. However, personality and life experiences can result in stress that may contribute to this imbalance of chemical substances.

Myth: Depression means you are in sin or did something wrong.

Truth: Depression is not a punishment. Rather it is an illness that can affect anyone. God is an emotional being and gifted us with emotions to connect more with Him and with others.

Myth: You just need to think positively, and depression will go away.

Truth: Sometimes people who suffer from depression are put under pressure from uninformed friends and family to think positively or simply go out and enjoy themselves. But just like other illnesses, depression requires specific treatment.

Without the support of friends and family, a depressed person may feel a heightened sense of helplessness and isolation. Fear of not receiving support often discourages people from telling their friends and colleagues about their suffering.

Myth: You can’t get past depression.

Truth: Keep in mind that there are several effective medicines and psychological interventions available to treat depression and that the majority of people experiencing depression who receive treatment will recover. This journey often starts with a visit to your doctor and having the depression diagnosed.

Depression affects your family and your work

It is no surprise that an illness that affects such a high proportion of society means that it is a common mental health problem among people who are of working age. Depression has several symptoms and side effects, and when it comes to work, studies show that:

Depression is the leading cause of lost work productivity as sufferers are more liable to call in sick or retire early. On average almost 6 hours per week are lost to productivity by workers suffering from depression than those who do not.

Cognitive dysfunction is a reduced ability to pay attention, hear and remember information, have an effective short-term memory, solve problems, think quickly, be decisive, and be observant. While this part of depression is less recognized, it is common and can be harmful to someone’s quality of life and ability to thrive in professional and social settings.

Help for depression

Counseling, psychotherapy, and medication often combine to create effective treatment of depression. Your doctor will first understand you and your circumstances well when prescribing any required treatment.

Should you be prescribed antidepressants, it is useful to know that they do not work immediately like headache tablets often do. It often takes up to two weeks of treatment before you start noticing an improvement in your depressive symptoms.

Once you make an improvement it can take up to two months before you are back to feeling like your normal self. Those taking medication often continue on a monitored treatment pattern for six months to a year or longer, to ensure their recovery is complete. Once you have recovered, your doctor will discuss with you how to stop your treatment. Some people can slowly come off medication while others prefer to continue.

When coming to grips with the cognitive symptoms of depression, it is useful to learn about four of the domains of cognitive function. Keep reading to discover the scientific definitions and how patients who suffer from depression may encounter symptoms related to each domain.

Scientific terminology

Attention domain

The ability to hold in focus several trains of thought at the same time.

Memory domain

The ability to have a good recall of the meaning of things, time and place, things that have been seen, and things that have been heard.

Executive function domain

This includes problem-solving, planning, verbal fluency, mental flexibility, working memory, and inhibition.

Psychomotor speed domain

The ability to understand and react quickly.

Everyday descriptions of symptoms

When someone is depressed, they may complain of these symptoms related to each of the domains of cognitive function:

• Difficulty with concentration, struggling to focus, and not being able to pay attention are all linked to the attention domain.
• Forgetfulness, finding it difficult to remember things, or being stuck for words are associated with the memory domain.
• Being indecisive, being unable to prioritize, multi-task, make decisions, or plan are linked to the executive function domain
• Slowing down from your usual pace of thinking, speaking, and responding are all linked to the psychomotor speed domain.

What to do if you are prescribed antidepressant medication

While professional healthcare workers, including your doctor, a counselor, a psychiatrist, or a psychotherapist may be involved in or with your treatment, it is important to remember that you are a important member of the team.

If you are on antidepressant medication, it is crucially important that, following the directions of your doctor, you take your medication regularly. Side effects are a possibility when starting treatment, but these are often brief and last only a few days.

If you do experience side effects, or if you have other symptoms that concern you, it is important that you do not stop taking the medication. Rather, it is important that you speak with your doctor about these, and he or she can then determine what you should do. Possible responses could include reducing the dosage or switching to a different medication.

Be honest and transparent with your doctor or counselor

Professionally trained healthcare professionals have the required expertise and experience to help you deal effectively with depression. However, it is imperative that you are completely honest with them about your thoughts and feelings. If you share that you have had thoughts of suicide, it will not shock them as this is not unusual in people with depression. It is part of their job to hear these thoughts and feelings and they are trained to help you.

Keep in mind that no physical indicators or measurements such as temperature or blood pressure will give your doctor any indication of symptoms of depression. No one knows you like you know yourself and those able to provide care for you need to have the most accurate information so that you can benefit from the most effective treatment.

Christian counseling for depression

If you’re looking for additional help for depression beyond this article, please browse our online counselor directory or contact our office to schedule an appointment. We would be honored to walk with you toward a place of healing and hope.