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So what is this thing called Depression?
It is natural for an individual's mood to vary over time and to change from day to day. Everyone gets down at times. People may say that they are "down", "fed up", or "feeling blue", or attribute it to "feeling under the weather". They may get disheartened about something that happens or something that fails to happen. People can get upset about events that don't go the way they would have liked them to go. Although people often say "I'm depressed" to mean these things, this experience would likely not be diagnosed as depression. Normal ups and downs are part of life. Some people naturally experience frequent mood changes, while others have a relatively stable equilibrium.
Similarly, if people suffer a major loss, they readily understand that it is normal to grieve. Although some of the emotions people feel when they are bereaved appear similar to depression, grieving is a natural and an important part of the healing process. Sometimes, though, past losses which were not fully mourned at the time may appear as depression later in an individual's life.
What makes depression different from just feeling "down"?
The distinction between feeling "down" and being depressed is one of both degree and duration. Depression includes a persistent low mood, a loss of interest or pleasure in life, and it also commonly involves symptoms from the following list:
- A change in eating, weight and/or sleep patterns
- Lowered energy levels and a reduced level of physical activity
- Difficulty with concentration
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Loss of interest, enthusiasm and enjoyment
- Feeling irritable and short-tempered, or tearful
- Lack of motivation: unable to continue as usual with work, pleasure, or social activities, (e.g., "Too much effort" or "things feel pointless").
- Sometimes people feel hopeless; s/he may feel like life is not worth living and may even have thoughts of suicide.
It is important to keep in mind, that an individual may feel some of the above for reasons other than depression, or even several together for a brief time, without this being a major concern. Chronic depression is marked by experiencing a number of these changes for an extended period of time.
Nevertheless, depression is very common. Depression affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Women are twice as likely as men to develop depression and it is one of the most common reasons for people seeking help from counselors or medical doctors.
What causes depression?
Very often depression is a response to events or circumstances that are felt to be deeply troublesome or distressing, or which seem to threaten an individual's personal identity. These circumstances might seem too hard or even impossible to change. There can be a sense of powerlessness, hopelessness and an all-pervasive gloom. People can lose motivation in the face of difficult situations, which may cause them to fall behind in other areas as well, and problems can begin to snowball (one problem becomes two, two become four, and so on).
However, sometimes people seem to become depressed for no describable reason. In such cases, it may be that some old loss, that hurt deeply some time ago (even years ago), has begun to resurface due to similar events now occurring in that individual's life. Although this is perplexing and just as distressing, this process is not uncommon. Sometimes, though, the onset of depression may be caused by nothing other than chemical/hormonal changes affecting our body-chemistry.
It is understandable, and quite common, to feel down for a while after something upsetting has happened. For example, after the end of a relationship, or one is feeling disappointed that he or she may have not performed up to his/her ability. An individual's disappointment usually passes with time, the person finds the ability to come to terms with what has happened and eventually to start looking forward to the future in a more positive way. However, if the low mood persists or seems so severe that it affects one's ability to function normally, it is time to seek out some help.
How our thoughts effect us
When people are depressed they usually find themselves caught in very negative thoughts about themselves, the future, and the world. Typically these thoughts are considered as absolute truth by the individual in question, and they tend to believe there is no way they will ever change. However, studies have shown that when people are no longer depressed, they go back to seeing things in a more positive and balanced way. Thinking in negative terms effects the way people feel, it effects their motivation, and ultimately their ability to overcome their problems. Negative thoughts are usually:
- about oneself:
- nobody likes me
- I am doing really badly on this course
- I am a fraud - I should not be here
- nobody will ever want to have a relationship with me
- about one's situation:
- This is a horrible place
- I will never be able to do all the work
- I have nothing in common with anyone here
- and/or about the future:
- it's hopeless
- things will never get any better
- I am always going to feel like this
Situations which people describe as making them vulnerable to becoming depressed include -
- feeling lonely and thinking that nobody cares much about them
- finding work difficult
- Thinking that they are a failure.
How to help yourself
There are some things you can try which have been shown to help lift a depressed mood. These involve changing your behavior and challenging your negative thoughts.
Finding motivation again
People who are depressed often stop doing pleasurable activities which would make them feel better in the short term. They may, for example, stop going out with friends, choose not to engage in sporting activities, or stop going to do old favorite hobbies. This tends to happen due to the loss of motivation that comes with depression. Even pleasurable activities take energy, and when one is suffering from depression there is a lack of energy. Enjoyable activities become "one more thing to do" and people no longer perceive the enjoyment and fun that can come out of such things.
Encourage yourself to start doing things again.
The importance of this can't be stated enough. Overcoming depression is like pushing a large boulder downhill, it is difficult to get moving at first, but once you have it in motion it tends to become much easier. Returning to activities is an important part of this process. Doing things alone or with people can lift your mood and you may well find that you feel more energized afterwards than you might expect. Most activities will be helpful, but enjoyable activities and physical exercise/sport are particularly effective. If you usually enjoy going to the movies or swimming, for example, try starting with these things.
- Break tasks down into steps or manageable "chunks" and tackle these one at a time. Although it may not seem so to you, you will probably be able to do things just as well as when you are not depressed
- Start with easier tasks and then progress to more difficult ones; this will help you to regain your confidence
- Be realistic and allow yourself more time to do fewer things
- Allow yourself to feel pleasure at what you have achieved and reward yourself for each achievement
- It is very important to spend time with people who are supportive. Isolating yourself increases depression, while social support helps lift a low mood
- Find people with whom you can be honest about how you are feeling, and with whom you do not have to put on any pretence; however, don't take up all of their time.
Thinking for a Change
As already stated, there is a link between negative thoughts and increased feelings of depression. If you are not aware of any specific negative thoughts and are confused about why you are depressed, you may find it helpful to talk with someone. A trained psychologist can help you understand depression and find the most effective and appropriate ways of dealing with what you are experiencing.
There are many ways of challenging your thoughts. One way is to use a structured cognitive approach (such as described here) which involves being aware of your negative thoughts and allowing yourself to consider alternative explanations for your situation. Some examples are given in the table below.
| Situation | Negative thoughts | Other explanations |
| Getting an isolated poor grade on a test | I am stupid | I didn't have much time to study. This is not the only test in the class. All my other grades have been good there is no reason to believe that I will not do well again. This is an isolated event, and does not reflect me as a complete person. |
| On one particular evening my partner does not want to see me. | He/She doesn't care about me any more. | He/She said he/she had to work tonight. We have spent lots of time together and they are stressed at this point in their life. This does not reflect the entire state of our relationship. We saw each other at the weekend and had a good time. He/She said some nice things to me lately and seemed caring the last time we spent time together.
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Do not automatically believe your negative thoughts no matter how strong they feel at the time. Also do not believe that just because something happens once it will happen time and time again. People suffering from depression tend to see negative events as stable (meaning they will not change) and global (meaning they affect all parts of one's life). By considering other explanations, your worst "possible" conclusion will be seen as only one of a number of possible explanations for your situation. This allows you to consider each explanation and see which is most likely to be true, or to try to collect "evidence" which will help you to test the different explanations. If you feel it is appropriate, try talking to other people to help you get a balanced perspective on which are the most likely explanations.
Medication
Modern antidepressant medication is not chemically addictive and can be safely taken over extended periods of time. Usually it takes two to three weeks before having any beneficial effect.
Physicians will probably remind you that medication of this kind is not in itself a cure. If there are difficult circumstances contributing to your depression, medication won't make them go away, but it may help you to rediscover your natural abilities to address these issues.
Warning signs that you may want to seek further help
- If your low mood and negative thoughts persist or are so strong that you feel powerless to do anything about them
- If you have nobody to confide in who can help you look at why you are feeling depressed
- If your low mood is interfering with your life, work or relationships
- If you experience feelings of hopelessness or feel suicidal.
Where to seek help
- Come to the Ivy Tech Community College's Student Counseling Center (Room E108G) or call (812) 298-2398 to make an appointment to talk to one of the counselors or psychologists
- Talk to your physician who can discuss the range of treatments available to you, including medication
- If you feel really desperate and despairing outside of normal working hours, call 812-231-8200 and a trained clinician will be available to talk to you.
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