I describe depression as a big black cloud. IT seems to gave no identifiable features. It’s just there, and it’s overwhelming. It comes and goes, and like the weather, most of us believe we can’t control it. But if you learn a bit more about what depression is, where it comes from, and what to do about it, you can take control of your mood and push the dark cloud aside!
Many health care professionals assume that everyone knows what depression is. However, even people(like myself), who have experienced depression may not know all of the characteristics of this common problem. If you feel alone while depressed, it may be helpful for you to read about it. When I was depressed I had a best friend named Darkness Visible, by William Styron. It is a great book written by a fellow sufferer.
I went to several psychiatric programs, and they were very helpful. I would like to share what I learned from these programs.
MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION:
-Decrease in social or other activities
-Loss of enjoyment in what were once pleasurable activities
-Down or low mood which may be experienced as helplessness,
hopelessness or despair
-Loss of concentration, decisiveness and memory
-Feelings of worthlessness
-Belief that things can’t get any better
-Disrupted sleep pattern
-Loss of appetite
-Loss of sexual desire
-Feelings of anxiety, anger or irritation
-Guilt and shame
-Thoughts about death or being better off dead, or about
hurting yourself
FACTS ABOUT DEPRESSION
-You are NOT alone
-20% of adults will be depressed at some point in their lives
-4% of adults are depressed at any given time
In recovering from depression, I had to focus on my thinking. One way of thinking about depression is that it is an illness that must be cured. As you learn new patterns of thought and behaviour, you will start to feel less depressed. I had to constantly remind myself that depression is me not the whole world that is terrible. Depression is an illness, just as influenza is an illness, and nature is is waiting as readily to cure one as the other if you will let it. To face, accept, and quietly work on at a normal pace that is the secret, and it will work a miracle if done without fear.