Depression

What is Depression?

Two commonly treated types of depression are minor and major depression. Almost everyone experiences the symptoms of minor depression in their life. Minor depression can happen with life changes like a loss of a job, change in relationship status, loss of a loved one, hormonal changes, and loneliness to name a few. Sometimes minor depression can turn into a mood disorder known as major depression. When a person struggles with major depression they lack interest in normal daily life as well as persistent sadness. But they may also benefit from medication. Major depression isn’t something you just “snap our of” because it has to do with chemicals in the brain. You may have trouble with daily activities and sometimes feel life is not worth living.

Symptoms of Depression
Many describe it as having the blues but more intense. Some feel that they cannot get out of bed or do normal life. Here are a list of symptoms you may relate to:

  • Attitude changes
  • Behavior changes
  • Problems in school
  • Problems at home
  • Problems in social activities or other areas
  • Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for seemingly no reason
  • Irritable, snappy, or annoyed mood over little things
  • Feelings of hopelessness or emptiness
  • Loss of interest in every day activities such as showering or appetite changes
  • Low self-esteem

Teens and Depression

Teens who experience depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities. Things they once loved and found interesting as a young person are no longer interesting. Symptoms are different between adults and teens. Issues that cause depression in teens are often related to expectations such academic expectations and future expectations, peer pressure, change in hormones and body changes present many fluctuating feelings that can contribute to depression. Depression in teens is not something that can just be overcome with an attitude adjustment.

Older Adults and Depression

Memory difficulty and personality changes are common for adults with depression. Feelings of physical pain and fatigue are symptoms in adults. You may want to stay at home more than most and avoid physical or emotional intimacy with others. You may have suicidal thinking. This is much more common in men.

When to Seek Help

If you think you may hurt yourself call 911 or your local emergency number. Call us, we can help. Call a loved one and have them stay with you. If you are concerned about a loved one, don’t leave them. Keep monitoring them and get them appropriate help.

Depression and Anxiety – Can I Have Both?

Yes. Everyone experiences feeling down from time to time and we are experience anxiety because it’s our body’s natural physiological response to stress. But when a person struggles with anxiety depression often follows. It’s not unusual but it something that can be treated and alleviated with counseling.

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