Depression
Depression is one of the most common forms of mental illness in the world. According to the (WHO), 3.8% of the world’s population suffer from depression. Of the 3.8% of individuals who deal with depression, 5% are adults and nearly 6% are adults over the age of 60. This equates to about 280 million people in the world dealing with depression. Women are typically more affected by depression than men; however, men can and still do suffer from depression.
There are several forms of depression with many signs and symptoms. Individuals dealing with depression can feel sad, anxious, irritable, “heavy”, or hopeless (NIMH). Some may have little to no energy, increase or decrease in sleep, and thoughts of self-harm (HL). Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list of the various signs and symptoms of depression and some individuals may have symptoms that aren’t as common. There are also several different subtypes of depression:
Major depressive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder (aka Dysthymia)
Postpartum depression
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Depressive disorder with seasonal pattern (aka Seasonal affective disorder)
Atypical depression
And so on…
Although there are many signs and symptoms of depression, depression can still be hard to detect. Some suffering from depression choose to hide how they are truly feeling and suffer in silence. This is NOT a blog post to condemn those individuals, since I myself used to fall into this category before. If you fall into this category, I first would like to acknowledge you and want you to know that you are NOT ALONE. There are people who truly care for you and are willing to help, if you let them.
Since it can be a challenge to detect depression, I want to share the following videos concerning hidden depression, in hopes that others can recognize the signs and what depression can make you do.
Q: How can I help someone with depression?
There are several ways to help someone suffering from depression (this isn’t an exhaustive list):
Be available for support
This can mean several things:
Help them with chores and other tasks to alleviate some of the burden
Dedicating time to spend with that person so that he/she knows you are present and care about him/her
This may include actively listening how the person feels
Encouraging self-care
Which may mean helping him/her take care of his/herself
Encouraging getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night
Encourage outdoor walks or time in the sun
I can personally attest to the benefits of walking outdoors when dealing with depression
Encourage seeking professional help
This may include taking him/her to the emergency department for a mental health crisis (including feeling suicidal) or when she/he needs help as soon as possible
Q: What if I am suffering from depression?
Acknowledging you need help is half the battle. It DOES NOT mean that you are weak or should feel ashamed. It takes a lot of bravery to admit that you aren’t feeling well and need to seek help. Please view my post on When to Seek Therapy if you are debating whether or not you need therapy.
As I mentioned in my Mental Health post a little over two years ago, there are several ways to seek professional mental health. I will re-list a few below:
If you are a undergraduate, graduate, or medical student, the good news is that there should be a student health center with mental health services on your campus. The services should be free or at least included in your tuition.
If you are employed, many companies (in California at least) offer FREE Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) where you or your family can see licensed counselors for a wide variety of reasons.
You can also make an appointment with your regular doctor to be seen and/or referred to a counselor, psychiatrist, and/or psychologist.
If you are feeling suicidal, please do not lose hope! You matter, despite how you may be feeling at the moment.
If you are currently experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911 (if you live in the United States) or go to your nearest emergency department for urgent help. You can also call 988 (if you are in the United States) to speak with someone from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Lastly, please know that we have a Heavenly Father who truly loves and cares about you. Please read Close to the Brokenhearted post for more information.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalms 34: 18 (NLT)
RESOURCES:
DISCLAIMER:
This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute a professional diagnosis or care.
Please seek help from a qualified mental health or medical professional if you suspect that you are suffering from depression or any other mental health problem.