Mid-life Depression is much more than just Feeling Sad!



"Appreciating the agony of depression, even if only intellectually, helps people be less judgmental, more accepting, and more available to those wrestling with this insidious disease."

The Peace of Mind Prescription

If you are mentally healthy you will be happy and enjoy your life, you will have a good sense of humour. You are able to adjust to peoples’ differences of opinion; you’ll be creative. In events most displeasing you know how to adjust and to do something about it. The challenge begins when you cannot do so anymore!

The predominant characteristic of any depression – whether mild-moderate, major or dysthymia are the mood disturbances.

The level-degree of the mood disturbances,their behavioural impact and the ability to function in the day to day life are one of the signs that can determine your type of depression whether mild-to-moderate, major or dysthymia.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS COMMON TO ALL DEPRESSIONS

MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSIONS

  • Your mental, physical and emotional energy has dropped to low for an extended period of time – (minimum 2 weeks to even months).
  • Changes in your eating and sleeping habits.
  • You either gain or loose weight -(5% of normal weight.)
  • Excessive fatigue because of moods, insomnia or excessive sleep.

  • you feel agitation or restlessness

  • Experiment major difficulties performing mental tasks such as:

  • Thinking clearly and rapidly
  • Concentrating on a task
  • Retaining new knowledge
  • Recalling previously stored information
  • Analysing
  • Viewing events from multiple perspectives
  • Making decisions
  • You become excessively sensitive to rejection and criticism
  • you feel the need for isolation.
  • MAJOR DEPRESSION

    Major depressions ( also identified as manic depression or bi-polar.)

    Patients suffering of major depressions may experiment psychotic features such as:

  • Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Pronounced paranoia
  • Intense euphoric "highs"
  • The American Psychiatric Association of National Institute of Mental Health’s describes major depression: “as exaggerated emotional states that interfere with our mental wellbeing and ability to function. “

    People will be triggered with:

  • Unmanageable irritations
  • Racing thoughts
  • More energy than usual
  • Agitating behaviour
  • Impulsive spending
  • Rash decisions
  • Very little sleep
  • Over inflated self-esteem
  • These patients may often require hospitalization; in most cases they cannot function at their usual level and request the need for medications or medication adjustments.

    DYSTHIMIA

    «Dysthimia is a chronic condition of depressive symptoms – most of the day, more days than not, for a period minimum of two years.» The person experiments significant distress or impairment in his or her social occupational functioning as a result of mood disturbance. Low self-esteem, poor social skills, pessimism and sleep disorders are evident.

    I quote this journalist’s experience to help you visualize the impact dysthimia may have on an individual’s every-day life.

    "If we think of major depression as a spectacular brain crash, milder depression can be compared to a form of mind-wearing water torture. Day in and day out it grinds us down, robbing us of our will to succeed in life, to interact with others, and to enjoy the things that others take for granted. The gloom that is generated in our tortured brains spills outward into the space that surrounds us and warns away all those who might otherwise be our friends and associates and loved ones. All too frequently we find ourselves alone, shunned by the world around us and lacking the strength to make our presence felt."

    CONCLUSION

    As the number of people suffering from depression increases not enough public awareness is made and myths continue to circulate in the minds of citizens. It increases the difficulty of sufferers to confide in others about their illness .


    Sources:

    Peace of Mind Prescription - Authoritative Guide to Finding the Most Effective treatment fo Anxiety and Depression by Drs Dennis S. Charney, M.D., charles B. Nemeroff, M.D,Ph.D, and Stephen Braun

    Real Life - Preparing for the 7 most Challenging Days of Your Life by Dr. Phillip McGraw,Ph.D.



    Diagnosing signs and symptoms will bring the right therapy for your type depression

    Diagnosing signs and symptoms will bring the right therapy for the healing of your type of depression.

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