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Show F Depression can be treated and cured By SARAH HANSEN What was once viewed as a spiritual spiri-tual malady is now regarded as as a disease with symptoms and cures. It's known as the common cold of mental illness. So common is it, that it affects everyone to some degree. It' s depression. Depression is the sad, blue, down, helpless, hopeless or rejected feeling. These feelings can lead to withdrawal from people and activities, ac-tivities, loss of pleasure and enjoyment enjoy-ment in life and physical discomfort such as aches, pains, fatigue, poor digestion and sleep disturbance. Most people feel down now and again as a natural reaction to stress and tension. Others, however, have more serious periods of depression but are still able to meet daily responsibilities. In the most serious cases, people become so severely depressed that they can't face the problems of daily living. They may abuse alcohol and drugs or become suicidal. Serious depression affects one person in five at some point in their lives. Depression is far more common among the elderly than any other age group. Loss is the main factor that leads to their depression. They experience the death of loved ones or friends, failing health or a decline in functional capacity, loss of income in-come and changes in living patterns such as retirement or moving away from a long-time home. The depression that the elderly experience is often accompanied by anxiety. The depressive episodes are more profound than in younger people and tend to last longer. Common symptoms are fatigue, apathy, confusion, memory loss, hopelessness and excessive guilt. Many of the symptoms related to depression are also commonly associated as-sociated with the aging process, so depression often goes undetected. Many symptoms are also easily confused with senile dementia. It is crucial that depression be distinguished from the process of aging and senility because in the elderly, depression is reversible with antidepressant drug therapy. Depression among children and adolescents is far more common than previously thought Even preschoolers pre-schoolers have been found to suffer from pathological depression. Most teens experience anxieties and insecurities at some point during dur-ing adolescence. Forerunners to depression include a poor self-image, self-image, an inability to tolerate discrepancy between idealized and real self, delayed pubertal development, de-velopment, pregnancy, sexual or physical abuse, chronic illness, alcohol or drug abuse, the failure to meet one's own standards of performance per-formance and general feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Family breakups, conflicts, death of a friend and failed romances can also be causes of depression. Recognizing depression in teenagers and children can be difficult because of their normal fluctuations in mood. One system is frequently displayed in depressed adolescents--extreme fatigue. Youth who have depressive disorders tend to present themselves in one of two ways. Either they develop stereotypical vegetative signs, such as sleep and appetite disturbances, that strongly resemble depression in adults, or they assume the rebellious or antisocial an-tisocial behavior demonstrated, for example, by drug use, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity or poor fcchool performance. The first type generally has a poor self-image. He is sad and tearful, tear-ful, feels completely inadequate, and is unable to regulate tension and anxiety. The rebellious or antisocial an-tisocial adolescent often appears more self-confident with an attitude that may be marked by haughtiness, grandiosity and bravado. Depression is more common in women than in men. Twenty to thirty thir-ty percent of all women will experience experi-ence a serious depression, twice that of men. Biologically, women have hormonal hor-monal fluctuations that make for some emotional changes. Numerous Nu-merous studies have unfolded the disease called Premenstrual Syndrome Syn-drome that can influence and contribute con-tribute to depressed feelings. Research Re-search concerning neurochemistry has established that ovarian hormones hor-mones have a direct effect on the neurochemistry involved in depression. depres-sion. r Sociological factors also con tribute greatly to depression and stress in women. Although changes are being made, women are still vastly unequal in terms of their social status. Psychological issues that have to do with development also contribute con-tribute to a woman's susceptibility to depression. Often, little girls are encouraged to develop their sense of identity and social status through their alliance to a powerful and successful suc-cessful man. As society changes and women achieve a more equal status, it is likely that their tendencies toward depression will decrease. With the advent of the antidepressants and the newer psychological understanding understan-ding of women's issues, psychotherapy and antidepressant treatment can make the prognosis for recovering from depression excellent. Almost everyone feels better during dur-ing bright summer days than during dark, gray, winter ones. For some people, however, the mood swings are more severe than others. These people suffer from a debilitating depression known as Seasonal Affective Af-fective Disorder (SAD), a syndrome characterized by severe seasonal mood swings. Anywhere from 45,000 to 5 million people in the U.S. suffer from SAD. Four times as many women as men are affected by it. SAD sufferers typically become clinically depressed with the approach ap-proach of winter. They lose interest in activities and feel sluggish, ir- ritable and sometimes depressed to the point of suicide. They crave sleep and binge on carbohydrates, gaining weight from October through March. As spring approaches ap-proaches depression decreases and behavior returns to normal. What causes SAD is a mystery. Research has found that latitude seems to be as important as season. The incident and severity of SAD increase with distance from the equator and peak around 40 degrees north. One theory suspects a disturbance distur-bance in the body's natural clock and abnormal production of melatonin, a hormone manufactured in the brain, and serotonin, a chemical that helps transmit nerve impulses. Depression can be recognized by some common symptoms. They include in-clude feelings of sadness or hopelessness, insomnia, waking early, difficulty in getting up, thoughts of suicide and death, restlessness, irritability, low self-esteem self-esteem or guilt and eating disturbances, distur-bances, usually weight and appetite loss. Other signs are fatigue, weakness and decreased energy, diminished ability to think or concentrate, con-centrate, loss of interest and pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed and chronic pains that fail to respond to typical treatment. Mild depression or the blues is the most common form of depression. depres-sion. Everyone is a victim of the blues from time to time. Research has shown that at any given time 10 percent of all Americans will report feeling melancholy. Nearly half the population reports having up to 10 blue days a year. Blue moods can be controlled, however. 4 'Depression-incompatible behaviors' can be done when the mood takes a downhill turn. Exercise is a great way to shake the blues. A long, wild bike ride, a swim or a run gives a metabolic boost, increasing 1 energy and stimulating a positive mood. Socialization with others, especially espe-cially those who are good friends or are in bright spirits, can change a mood around. Doing something for someone else takes the mind off self and places it on others. Give someone a compliment; help someone in need. The good feeling and the gratitude received will cheer others and remind re-mind you that others do care about you. Give yourself a treat. Get your hair or nails done, have a facial or buy yourself something nice. Laughter is one of the best medicines med-icines around. Go see a funny movie, rent a comedy video or visit the humor section of a bookstore. Lastly, inventory your assets. Make-a list of things you like about yourself and the things you do right. As you build your self-esteem, you will become less of a target for depression. These activities may sound too simple to really chase away the blues, but by pursuing activities characteristic of positive moods, you are likely to bring up your down moods. |