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A Better Understanding of Depression

Contents

0. Symptoms of depression
0. Causes and facts
0. The different types of depression
0. The symptoms of elation
0. How Aware can help

Depression: the symptoms

- Feeling depressed, sad, anxious or bored.
- Tiredness, fatigue, everything an effort, slowed movements.
- Waking during the night or too early in the morning, oversleeping or trouble getting to sleep.
- Slow thinking, poor concentration, forgetfulness or indecision.
- Loss of interest in food, work, sex, and life seems dull.
- Reduced sense of self-worth; low self-esteem or guilt.
- Headaches, chest or other pains without a physical basis.
- Not wanting to live, suicidal thoughts or thinking of death.

It is important to remember that you don’t have to FEEL depressed to actually BE depressed. If any five or more of the above symptoms are present for more than two weeks, please see your GP as you may be suffering from a depressive episode. Or call the Aware helpline on loCall 1890 303 302.

Depression: the causes
Depression is frequently preceded by a setback in life, such as bereavement, relationship or financial difficulties, problems at work/school or medical illness. We all react to
loss with a sense of disappointment, which can vary from mild to severe. An inherited tendency towards depression is an important factor in determining how depressed a person will become following a loss.

Depression: the facts
- Depression is a treatable illness.
- Depression can be disabling as it affects a person’s thinking, feeling and behaviour.
- Depression is often described as an overwhelming feeling which dulls thinking, impairs concentration, saps energy, interest in food, sex, work and daily events, and also disrupts sleep.
- It affects 1 in 4 of us at some point in our lives.
- Women are 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer from depression than men.
- If left untreated depression can prove fatal, resulting in the tragedy of suicide.
- It is estimated that over 300,000 people in Ireland experience depression.

Depression: the different types

1. Mild Depression
The person typically experiences tiredness, some early morning wakening, indecision, impaired concentration and loss of confidence. The person does not necessarily feel depressed.

2. Moderate Depression
Most of the symptoms of depression as listed above are present: the person feels depressed, is extremely fatigued, has marked sleep disturbance and they appear to others to be depressed.

3. Severe Depression
In addition to the symptoms of moderate depression, the person’s judgement is impaired in that they have extremely negative and pessimistic views of their own self-worth and their future. Strong suicidal thoughts or intent is present. The person may have delusions or false beliefs that they are evil, wicked, bankrupt or terminally ill or have hallucinations, i.e. hearing voices or having visions of themes similar to the delusions. When delusions or hallucinations are present, the depression is referred to as a psychotic depression. They are an extreme extension of the negative thinking that is part of a mild or moderate depression.

4. Bipolar Disorder/Manic-Depressive Illness
The symptoms of the depressed phase of bipolar disorder are identical to those of unipolar depression described above. In addition, however, there are also episodes of elation or mania. Although elation can sometimes be considered a pleasurable experience, it often has a devastating effect on a person's life, with common symptoms including overspending, restlessness, irritability and agitation.

The symptoms of elation
- Feeling elated, enthusiastic, excited, angry, irritable or depressed.
- Great energy, ‘never felt as well’, overtalkative or over-active.
- Reduced need for sleep and marked difficulty in getting off to sleep.
- Racing thoughts, ‘pressure in the head’, indecision, jumping from one topic to another, poor concentration.
- Increased interest in pleasurable activities, new adventures, sex, alcohol, street drugs, religion, music or art.
- Excessive and unrealistic belief in one’s ability, or having grandiose plans.
- Never tiring, being unaware of the physical symptoms of illness such as asthma, muscle tension at the back of the head or round the shoulders, etc.
- Thinking that one can live forever, taking reckless physical risks or, if angry or distressed, feeling suicidal.

If five or more of the above symptoms are present for more than two weeks, it may be a manic episode.

Find out more about:

• the Aware loCall Helpline (loCall 1890 303 302)
• Aware support groups.