Being sad is one thing, but being depressed is another. A lot of people don’t understand that. Depression is much more than a chemical imbalance, depression is a disorder of the mind, brain, and body.
There are several forms of depression, such as: Major Depression, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Psychotic Depression, Postpartum Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is also known as SAD.
More than likely, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. What is going on in your head when you’re depressed? Well, recent evidence shows that recurrent depression is a neurodegenerative disorder, which means that there is disruption of the structure and function of brain cells, destroying of nerve cell connections, even killing certain brain cells.
Depression has many causes and risk factors such as: loneliness, lack of social support, recent stressful life experiences, a family history of depression, relationship problems, financial strain, early life trauma or abuse, alcohol or drug abuse, unemployment and much more. The most common treatments are medication and psychotherapy.
If you or someone you know seems to be going through depression, you can seek help at your local hospital or mental health center. Crookston has Northwestern Mental Health Center and it’s a great place.
People are sometimes afraid to reach out for help with depression because some people see that as just a cry for attention. A lot of people don’t understand how serious depression is and the fact that it is a mental illness. Being sad is just an emotion, right? Wrong. Human emotions take shape in a neural circuit involving several key brain structures. There are people today who do a lot of things for attention, and depression isn’t something always easy to see, but if someone reaches out to you for help or just simply as a friend, don’t doubt them because it takes a lot for most people to reach out, especially those with depression.
A lot of people who have depression might not even know it or want to accept it themselves. It’s a very difficult thing to live with. Women are 70 percent more likely to have depression than men. Depression even effects approximately 4 percent of preschoolers in the United States today.
It’s harder to identify depression in teenagers because a lot of people believe it’s just a time where their bodies are developing and their hormones are at an all time high. But that’s not always what it is, even if sometimes it’s quite difficult to tell the difference between a teen who is just moody and going through that transition and a teen who is depressed. A lot of times they don’t even know. A depressed teenager may seem hostile, grumpy, or could easily lose their temper. They might have unexplained aches and pains.
When it comes to adults having depression, men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self loathing and hopelessness. Women are seen as more dramatic than men but are also more open to showing their emotions. One reason women have depression more is because of postpartum depression, which is a longer lasting and serious depression triggered by hormonal changes associated with having a baby.
There is always a way to help yourself or someone you know who may be suffering from depression. Counseling, professional help, or calling a suicide hotline are just a few of the ways you can find help. Even simply making healthy lifestyle changes helps. The biggest thing you can do is be a friend to the person suffering, even if it’s yourself.
Getting through depression is finding a way to love yourself again. It may seem scary and intimidating to talk to someone about it but it will help to talk to someone who cares and knows how to help you get through the rough journey of depression. Suicide hotlines aren’t just for people who are on the verge of killing themselves; you can call simply to talk to someone who doesn’t know you, which can be comforting.
Depression is a real mental disease.
Hopefully one day everyone will wake up and realize how serious it is before it really is too late and the suicide rates keep rising. People surround you every day who have depression and you don’t even know it and you don’t always need to.
Don’t take it any less serious than it is. Depression is a disease. Depression is real, and it exists all around us, every day.
See the full article here: http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20160520/NEWS/160529963/?Start=1