Major Depression
Major depression can become disabling meaning the amount of time spent in bed and loss of work productivity. Symptoms include depress mood (sadness), poor concentration, insomnia, fatigue, appetite issues, feeling excessive guilt and even thoughts of committing suicide.
Left untreated, depression can lead to serious impairment. Along with this is avoiding alcohol, alcohol does not help you feel any better. Alcohol causes you to feel more anxiety or depression.
Depression is a leading cause of disability according to WHO.
Depression Is Treatable
Depression is treatable. If depression is left untreated episodes commonly last from a few months to many years.
Having major depression may require long-term treatment to keep symptoms from returning.
Major depression is a mood state that goes well beyond temporarily feeling sadness. It affects one’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, mood and physical health.
Depression is a life-long condition in which periods of wellness alternate with recurrences of illness.
Depression can occur at any age and may only occur one time in a person’s lifetime.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms
- Changes in sleep
- Changes in your appetitie
- Having Poor concentration
- Loss of energy
- Lack of interest
- Low self-esteem
- Hopelessness or guilt
Movement changes, slowing down, physically depleted or alternatively activated and agitated.
Diagnoses
Depression is classified as a mood disorder. Major depressive episodes last longer than two weeks and include feelings of sadness or emptiness, and reduced interest in doing things you used to enjoy doing. Change in your appetite, not being able to sleep well or sleeping too much, feeling agitated or even slowed down, fatigue, loss of energy, feeling worthless, having excessive guilt, difficulty thinking, concentrating, trouble making decisions, suicidal thoughts or intentions to end your precious life.
Categories
Affective, or mood, symptoms;
- behavioral symptoms including withdrawal;
- cognitive symptoms including problems concentrating or making decisions and somatic or physical symptoms that may include sleep disturbances.
A physician needs to be the one to make the right diagnosis.
Who of us are at risk?
- Children
- Teens
- Young Adults
- Adults over 65 years of age
- Women and
- Minorities
Coping Strategies
- Become an expert
- Recognize early symptoms, patterns, triggers
- Engage in your treatment
- Develop a plan
- Find a support group
- Avoid substances; alcohol
- Become healthier
- Volunteer
People who have self- esteem don’t need to inflate themselves. They are secure enough in their strengths and their weaknesses.
Inventorying means taking stock of what is there and what isn’t there that needs to be filled. There is not judgment when it comes to what isn’t there but, fulfillment will happen. Which means we need to give it time to replenish.
Seeing our strengths and weaknesses helps put our weaknesses into perspective.
Our strengths may include our integrity, our ability to have compassion, our ability to love unconditionally, the ability to have patience when it comes to others, our ability to show kindness to all, the ability to admit when we are wrong, tolerant when it comes to others weaknesses or their lack of knowledge, having enough respect for ourselves that we won’t cave in to another’s persons conditions. our ability to support an other person with respect.
Behaviors
Our behavior includes all the things we do. our habits, gestures and or our reactions. The strengths we may have include punctuality, cleanliness, steadiness, how we carry ourselves about with our self-care attributes of how we dress, if we are groomed, taking care of physics. Our weaknesses may include our withdrawing, procrastinating, disorganization, yelling and screaming, controlling others by putting fear in them, silent treatment, compulsive behaviors or even our endangering others when driving.
The affect we have on another when it comes to our feelings. Our strengths may include, peace, appreciation of ourself, contentment, our optimism, our calmness. The problems we experience may include chronic pain, depression, anxiety, anger, worry, fear, guilt.
Senses To Seek Out To Help With Our Depression
Our five senses are sensations. The strengths of our the sensations we feel like the wind blowing, the taste of a beverage, the food we smell, sounds we hear or natures beauty. The problems that can go along with our five senses are headaches, tension in our necks, dizziness, stomach issues, nausea and not appreciating what we see or smell that is around us.
Our imagination can run wild in our minds. The strengths may be visualizing a vacation, or internal pleasant feelings. The negatives we may experience when it comes to our imagination is our nightmares or even having a faulty view of ourselves.
The cognitions of our thoughts. Strengths is knowing that everything will be perfect because, I will find something to improve. The other end of the spectrum is our distortions.
The quality of our relationships is interpersonal. the strengths are making our family and friends a high priority. The weaknesses include the absence of friends.
Habits To Make To Offset Depression
Our habits may include having an adequate amount of rest and relaxation. It may include taking care of our body by eating healthier meals The bad habits are junk food, misusing medications, drugs, alcohol.
How will you strenghten your self? What methods will you use? Are you eager to get fit? If so, what will you do to start the ball rolling? If you can’t afford to do something to better yourself, you can always start with walking, it’s free.
Are you unable to sleep at tnight because your mind won’t stop racing? If so, these are common symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Ruminating is endlessly going over the same thoughts. This constant negative thinking can raise emotions. A feeling of hopelessness and our negative self-talk we do to ourselves. A single anxious thought can lead to intense physcial symptoms that lead to an avoidance behavior.
The past is over, it’s time to move on.
