Accepting depression as a part
of life
Who's not feeling stressed these days? Your son needs a ride to the soccer game, your daughter has to be at band practice in ten minutes, your husband just called about bringing Bob home for dinner, and your hair appointment is in five minutes. Not to mention the news media is scaring you to death.
Those comforting but bad habits smoking, drinking, overeating are pretty tempting in times of high anxiety.
Depression in some form was recognized as far back as 460 BC in Greece by Hippocrates. What he described was apparently a form of postpartum depression.
Stay aware of the signs of depression, notice the problem and start to deal with it as it occurs. If you deny the problem exists and allow it to take control, you will have a very hard time controlling it.
If you want to sleep all the time, if you're withdrawing, if you have lost interest in food or have started to eat like crazy, if you feel down all the time, you could be suffering from some form of depression.
One of the most important issues in regards to dealing with depression, is that this is not a dirty secret, this is not something that makes you a bad person, this does not say you are crazy. Everyone at one time or another will suffer from some sort of depression.
Get help, don't try to go it alone, it won't work. All healthcare professionals will over state a strong support group will be the key to your recovery.
Click on the link below for a brief depression questionnaire. This questionnaire is not intended to replace a visit to a mental health professional. Note: Absolutely no information about you is collected by this program.
Depression can have a negative long-term effect on health, get it treated.
Stress and the possible depression as a result of this stress is part of everyday life and accepting that is a good place to start. Having an adequate coping mechanism helps most people get through the worst of it.
Everybody needs a mechanism of some kind to deal with stress. Some deal with it through religion, some with exercise, some by talking with their spouse or friends, others through formal support groups, some medication and some talk therapy.
A good exercise program is one of the best ways of dealing with stress. Exercise helps you sleep, and when you're not fatigued, you deal with stress more effectively.
If you take a few moments during the day to take a full, slow breath, then let it out slowly, that will help release the irritability or sadness.
For many people, connecting with friends in more genuine way, talking about what's happening with them, can be very helpful. Get the focus off of you!
Spend time each day to write down what you're feeling. Getting the issues out in front of you helps to put them behind you. Once you have written them down, get away from them, focus on something that's not stressful. Find something that distracts you, "this is very important."
Set goals for yourself that are attainable. Setup an agenda for the day and check off what you have accomplished.
Do not stay in bed and feel sorry for yourself, get out of bed, take a shower, call your friends, share their problems. Take your mind off of you.
Nutrition, religion, sleep, exercise and sex all help us manage stress, and help to give us peace. Then we must do something with that peace.
According to many research studies, sharing your life with others in a meaningful way is the root of happiness. Most religions and most all the philosophies suggest life hinges on productive interpersonal relationships.
One of the greatest travesties in this country, is that people pay more attention to the care of their cars and their dogs than they give to care of their own mind and body.
If you don't take care of yourself, how are you expected to take care of anyone else, including yourself.
- Educate Yourself
Read everything you can get your hands on about stress and depression and its treatments. Ask questions. There is a plethora of information on the Internet. Just plug the name of your drug or condition into your favorite search engine and read away. Keep a pad and pen handy as you search to write down questions for your doctor. Print out relevant articles and resources for future reference.
- Standup and demand answers!
Let's say you've done all your homework, you have gone to the doctor and your doctor says not to worry and dismisses your concerns. Your doctor simply responds to your feelings of sadness and being "down" with "you are just depressed". That is not an answer, that is a diagnosis. You just don't feel like you're being heard. What should you do?
Speak calmly, but assertively. Let your doctor know that you value his or her time, but you do not feel confident that your questions have been addressed. Then ask your questions again politely and don't back down until you feel satisfied that you have been answered. Avoid taking a confrontational stance, it serves no purpose and helps to advance the feeling of helplessness. Make sure your doctor understands your priorities. A patient who wants to become involved in her own treatment is a novelty. Be different, be involved.
Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Tara Solomon
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