HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE DEPRESSED AND ITS SOLUTIONS
I woke up one morning when I was
12 years old, remembers James sat on the edge of my bed, and wondered, is today
the day I die. James was in the grip of major depression. Every day of my life,
says James 30 years later. I have fought this emotional and mental illness.
James felt so worthless when he was young that he tore up his childhood
photographs. I didn’t even think I was worth remembering, he recalls.
More than just a spell of
melancholy blues, clinical depression is a grave disturbance that often hinders
a person from carrying out daily activities
Because we all contend with feelings of sadness
occasionally, we could conclude that we understand what depression is all about.
But how, does it feel to have clinical depression.
Although depression sometimes has
an obvious trigger, it often intrudes on a person’s life without warning. Your
life is suddenly darkened by a cloud of sadness for no apparent reason. Nobody
you know has died, and nothing distressing has occurred. Yet, you feel dejected
and listless. And nothing will make the cloud go away. You are overwhelmed by
feelings of despair, and you don’t know why.
Depression is nothing to be
ashamed of. Yet, Jon in Brazil felt ashamed to be diagnosed with depression. In
fact, eight years later I still feel ashamed of myself, she admits. In
particular, she finds it difficult to deal with her emotional anguish. The
suffering is sometimes so intense, that I feel physical pain.
All the muscles in my body hurt. At such times
it is impossible to get out of bed. And then there are the times when Jon
cannot stop crying. I sob with such intensity and become so exhausted, she says,
that it feels as though my blood has stopped circulating.
There are a number of treatments
for depression, varying according to the symptoms and the severity of the
illness. Many people may be helped by their family physician, but some need
more specialized treatment. The doctor might prescribe antidepressant medication
or recommend some other form of assistance. Some people have experienced good
results with herbal medications, dietary adjustments, or a controlled exercise
program.
COMMON ISSUES
[1] Well-meaning friends with
little or no medical training might try to tell you which method of treatment
to accept and which to reject. They might also have strong opinions about
whether you should take herbal medicine, prescribed medication, or nothing at
all.
CONSIDER: Make sure that any advice you accept comes from a
reliable source. In the end, you are the one who must make an informed choice.
[2] Discouragement may make patients discontinue their
choice of treatment because they do not seem to be getting better or because of
unpleasant side effects.
CONSIDER: There is a frustrating of plans where there is no
confidential talk, but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.
A program of medical therapy is more likely to succeed if there is good
communication between doctor and patient.
Frankly explain your concerns or describe your symptoms to
your doctor, and ask whether you need to adjust the treatment or simply to persevere
before you will begin to experience benefits.
[3] Overconfidence can make patients stop their medical
remedy abruptly after a few weeks because they feel better. They may forget how
debilitating their symptoms were before they started their medication.
CONSIDER: Suddenly terminating medical treatment without
consulting a doctor can have serious and even life-threatening consequences.
WHAT KIND OF DEPRESSION?
The effectiveness of any particular medical
approach depends on what type of depression a patient has.
MAJOR DEPRESSION has symptoms
that are severe enough to last six months or longer if untreated and that
impact on most aspects of a sufferer’s life.
BIPOLAR DISORDER is also known as
maniac depression. Sufferers may experience emotional extremes that careen
between prolonged episodes of intense hyperactivity [maniac] and devastating
lows [depression]
DYSTHYMIA although not as
disabling as major depression, has depressive symptoms that make it difficult
for the patient to function normally. Some may also experience intermittent
periods of major depression.
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION is a
debilitating emotional condition that affects many mothers after they give
birth.
SEASONAL EFFECTIVE DISORDER
likely occurs as a result of a lack of sunlight during autumn and winter. It
usually clears up during spring and summer.
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