Everyone can get the blues, especially this time of year when the days are shorter. But the blues don’t persist for long; real clinical depression, the most common mental disorder, lingers for periods of time and affects our ability to function in everyday situations.
Causes of depression can be multi-faceted, and they usually involve genetic, hormonal, psychological, social, environmental, and other factors. Certain life events can trigger it, like the loss of a job, which can be particularly devastating for men.
A recent article in the British Journal of Psychiatry warned that social and economic changes in Western society affecting men’s status as the main family breadwinner could result in a rise of depression among men. The good news is depression is a highly treatable disease, but you must recognize its signs and seek help.
1. Know the symptoms
The severity, frequency, and duration of the symptoms of depression can vary for people, but generally, these are its signs and symptoms, according to the National Institute of Mental Health:
• Loss of appetite
• Overeating
• Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, restlessness, or irritability
• Hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Insomnia
• Excessive sleeping
• Loss of interest in activities that once brought pleasure, including sex
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Difficulty making decisions and concentrating
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts at suicide
2. Consider therapy
With competent care, depression can be successfully treated, according to the American Psychological Association. It recommends finding a licensed mental health professional with experience treating depression and who can offer psychotherapy that works to pinpoint contributors to depression and help you deal with its causes. Ask your doctor for help finding a therapist. According to the APA, a therapist can help you:
• Identify and understand the life problems contributing to depression and how and whether they can be resolved.
• Recognize thinking patterns that are negative or distorted, as well as thoughts and behavior patterns that add to depression.
• Learn skills to avoid future bouts with depression and help you acquire feelings of joy and fulfillment again.
3. Medication may help
A combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication is often the best treatment, but work closely with your physician prescribing the drug since the medications can have side effects, the American Psychological Association advises. Antidepressants work with mood-regulating brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters — norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.
People usually have to take regular doses of the medicine for three to four weeks before feeling any effect, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It’s important to try other medications when one doesn’t seem to work; an NIMH-funded study showed that participants who changed to another drug or added a different medication to the one they were taking improved after making the change.
4. Exercise
Citing a number of studies, including a 1990 meta-analysis of 80 studies on exercise and depression, the American Psychological Association says exercise — aerobic and anaerobic — “is an effective, cost-effective treatment for depression and may help in the treatment of other mental disorders.” For some, exercise is an opportunity to interact with others, which is especially helpful for those whose depression resulted from being isolated.
Experts advise:
• Starting to exercise gradually and setting realistic goals.
• Experimenting with activities that make you feel better.
• Closely watching your mood changes and gauging which activities and at what intensity works best for you.
5. Help for loved ones
Clinical depression strikes more than 19 million Americans a year, according to Mental Health America, and fewer than half that number will seek treatment. Many people believe the condition isn’t serious, or that depression is a sign of weakness, the group says.
If someone you care about shows signs he is depressed, the National Institute of Mental Health recommends you:
• Work to engage him in conversation and carefully listen.
• Encourage him to get a diagnosis and treatment.
• Provide understanding and emotional support.
• Invite him on outings but don’t push if he is reluctant. You want to avoid making demands and adding to feelings of failure.
For more information, go to the National Institute of Mental Health website.
No comments:
Post a Comment