We wouldn’t be ‘normal’ if we didn’t all feel low, stressed or down in the dumps at times. Major life changes and stresses conspire to test even the strongest resolve, but we usually bounce back. For some people though, the low feeling becomes much worse and gets in the way of normal life. Dr Jace Clarke looks at depression, why it’s not always just a reaction to life’s stresses, and what we can do to help ourselves or others who could be suffering.
Let’s get the statistics out of the way first. Depressive disorders are common. The majority of us will at some point experience a sufficiently severe depressed mood which influences our daily lives. But the medical profession suggests that as many as 1 in 4 of us will actually face clinical depression in our life-time.
With these statistics, it’s hardly surprising that we use the term ‘feeling depressed’ with great abandon. Yet, social stigma attached to depression commonly views those who suffer, as being weak, especially if there are no tangible or visible reasons for their low mood such as divorce, illness or bereavement. Conversely, it’s often those people that battle on regardless through life’s ups and downs with strength of character, that can find themselves hardest hit by the condition, and sufferers with distorted long-held beliefs about themselves, learnt through past experiences, that suffer just as much as the obvious candidates.
We should understand that clinical depression is a physiological state that needs treatment and is not easily cured by ‘pulling yourself together’ or ‘getting a grip’. This advice to a depressed person not only perpetuates the feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness that they feel, but can also deter them in finding the vital help they need to make a recovery.
Depression is a major cause of impaired quality of life and productivity, not only for the sufferer but for those who have a stake in the sufferer’s every-day life, whether they are a partner or a work colleague. If you or someone you know suspects they are suffering from depression, it’s important to get help.
SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION:
Emotions or feelings
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Feeling sad, guilty, upset, numb or despairing
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Losing interest or enjoyment in things
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Crying a lot or unable to cry when a truly sad event occurs
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Feeling alone even if you are in company
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Feeling angry and irritable about the slightest things
Physical signs
Thoughts
- Losing confidence in yourself
- Expecting the worst and having negative or gloomy thoughts
- Thinking that everything seems hopeless
- Thinking you hate yourself
- Poor memory or concentration
Behaviour
- Having difficulty in making decisions
- Can’t be bothered to do everyday tasks
- Putting things off
- Not doing things you used to enjoy
People who are depressed typically suffer these emotions and thoughts regularly or constantly, and at the time, they believe them to be true. They tend to lose interest in what’s going on around them and don’t get any satisfaction out of the things they used to enjoy. Every-day decisions and simple tasks can overwhelm them and push them further down in to the dark, bottom-less pit that so many sufferers describe.
GETTING HELP
As an expatriate, you may have feel especially isolated at times without close family and friends to support you through life’s ups and downs. It’s doubly important to make sure you seek help from a professional if you feel that you are depressed. Start with your local general practitioner or medical doctor who can asses your situation and point you in the right direction.
Your doctor may suggest a number of different and often complimentary therapies such as problem solving, life-style changes, talking therapy, anti-depressant tablets, or a combination of these approaches.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has become the first line therapy of choice for certain depressive disorders. CBT actually works to change long-held beliefs and distorted thinking to enable individuals to take control and live life to the full again.
If your health insurance doesn’t provide cover for psychiatric care or you can’t afford private treatment, you can take a course of CBT treatment on-line. Here’s the link: Mood Gym - Self-administered on-line Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
SOME ADDITIONAL SELF-HELP TIPS:
- Balance negative thoughts with positive ones
- Challenge the logic and truth behind your thoughts and emotions
- Allow yourself some regular ‘ME’ time to do what you used to enjoy or considered a treat
- Take physical exercise to increase the ‘feel-good’ hormones
- Tackle problems one step at a time
- Talk to family and friends for practical and emotional support
Make sure that you and those close to you enjoy life and don’t suffer in silence with depression. Sufferers do recover with help, and just because others might not be able to ‘see’ or identify with your condition, it’s no less of a priority to seek the support that will help you or your loved one mend.