Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.
Today, I’m going to speak about depression, which I have touched on before. Unfortunately, I still do not think that people understand it the way they should; the way that allows for a reduction in stigma and a rise in empathy.
I have recently seen status updates and even articles on social media where people claim that depressed people are “too weak” or need to “fix up they self”. This alone tells me that it is not fully understood. I wish to change this view today.
Depression can be compared to sadness. Of course we know that feeling sad is normal for every human being. What do we do when we feel sad? We cry, eat too much or too little, sleep too much or not enough, isolate ourselves, lose interest in things we love etc. These are normal and acceptable symptoms of sadness. However, if you experience these symptoms for months at a time, you are more likely suffering from depression.
Depression is one of the most common and serious mood disorders. It affects every aspect of life- from how we think and behave to our relationships and ability to play an effective role in society. Like most mental illnesses, depression cannot be cured but it can be successfully treated. It comes in different forms- from mild to severe – but any form or type requires professional and familial support.
Many people with depression suffer in silence which is why it is important for everyone to know the most common signs and symptoms. Like I said, it is important to be able to differentiate between sadness and depression. It is not just the length of signs and sadness but also the severity.
Depression will start off with sadness and crying – this could be every day or even a few times per week. The individual’s daily mood will change for the worse – seeming sad, anxious, disinterested, irritable etc. They will lose motivation and energy quite quickly. This makes school or work projects very difficult. Interest will be lost in activities (and even people) that were once previously enjoyed. There are general issues of memory due to trouble focusing and lack of concentration
There will be changes in behavioural patterns such as eating and sleeping. This subsequently results in personal neglect such as weight loss or gain and lack of hygiene- mostly due to self-loathing. The individual may talk about suicide or dying in general. Suicidal thoughts are very common among depressed individuals- with a higher correlation than any other mental illness. Keep in mind, suicide could be a thought and not a topic of conversation. It is also important to remember that people feel and experience depression differently. For example, during depression, one individual may become extremely sad and isolated, while the other may be extremely irritable and displaying reckless behaviour. Depression also has physical symptoms. Head and body aches, digestive problems and respiratory problems are common.

What may cause depression?
There are a number of risk factors for depression. Knowing these factors are important for it allows for empathy and a better understanding of the individual and their struggles.
Depression can be caused by biological, psychological and situational factors. Biological factors include a family history of mental illness and brain function. This means, there is usually a chemical imbalance that limits our emotional scale.
Psychological factors include neglect, any type of abuse or trauma or any other existing mental illness.
Situational factors include one’s environment, a major life change, the death of a loved one, substance use and a physical illness/injury.
Basically, this means that anyone is at risk for depression.
Most individuals will feel helpless and hopeless and would require a push and a great deal of support to seek help.

Treatment
Like any other mental illness, depression needs to be treated with a constant combination of prescription medication and psychotherapy. The earlier the individual seeks treatment, the better.
The medication will be anti-depressants that improve the way certain chemicals function in the brain. It is important to mention two things. 1. It may take time to find the right medication for you specifically. 2. Anti-depressants take time to work. One needs to take them exactly as prescribed for a minimum of 2-4 weeks for the intended effects. No alcohol or other substances should be taken with the medication prescribed by your doctor. A common mistake individuals make is to stop taking the medication when they start to feel better. Do not forget that you are starting to feel better BECAUSE of the medication and should not lower the dose or stop completely without your doctor’s guidance. A typical course of medication is 6-12 months.
The psychotherapy form of treatment would include discussing the risk factors of your depression, your symptoms and how to increase coping skills to better manage them.
Of course there are always other things you can do to increase the speed of your recovery. As always, these include eating and sleeping well, exercise, introduce productive hobbies, listen to music and finally, confide in your loved ones. Use your support network- isolation fuels depression.
Below is a personal story written by a dear friend of mine who has been battling with depression for years. M, thank you for the strength it took to write the following piece:
“If any of you have ever had the pleasure of meeting me you would think I was making my depression up. If I had a dollar for every time I have been asked, “What do you have to be depressed about?” I’d be making a killing. The truth is that, I don’t have anything to be depressed about, I have a great, well paying job that keeps me extremely busy, I have a caring family that always finds the joy in everything, I have amazing friends who would do anything in the world for me. I have a professional team of doctors that are always making sure I am keeping on track.

The truth is yes; I don’t have anything to be depressed about, yet I am depressed about everything. There are days that I wish my mattress would just swallow me up whole and then there are days where I just can’t wait to jump out of bed and start a new adventure. Regardless of how I feel there is forever a lingering ball of emotions that I have to keep at bay.

My depression was created out of a need; it creeps up on me like a shadow of guilt, anger and confusion. My depression has never been sadness, it has always been a ball of emotions, anxiety, unfortunate events sometimes even some glimpses of happiness. Depression is different for everyone. Some people keep going until they crack, others feel so sick they can’t get out the house. I have had the unfortunate pleasure of being on both sides. Being a seasonal workaholic (when I get into my money making moods a few times a year) I tend to push down whatever it is that is making me uneasy and ignoring it until it is impossible to function. I think most people who initially begin to feel depressed also follow into the same pattern as most of us are not experienced or self aware in the beginning.

When I say my depression was created out of a need, I need to clarify a bit. I was diagnosed with depression at 21, however after years of therapy it has been narrowed down to my depression starting at around the age of 8. As the last of four children, I was misplaced in where I fit into my family and friend group and I found comfort (as morbid as this sounds) in the feeling of despair. I wasn’t comfortable in my surroundings unless there was chaos, anger and hate; a cognitive behavioral pattern that was sub-consciously possessing me. With no understanding of how to conduct my emotions and how to deal with my surroundings, my comfort was what I knew and understood best. Instability.

Childhood depression is becoming more and more prevalent as our society changes. I think most people thought of me as a weird child, a loner, rude and constantly destructive. Flushing my best friend’s dolls down the toilet for no apparent reason is a story still told in my circle to every new comer. Looking back on it now, as much as I find humor in my mental illness, there were always telltale signs of what my future held. I wrapped myself in the warmth of my depression for so long, I had forgotten what it was like to be emotionally stable.

Depression is like knowing a bad friend for a long time, a friend that no one likes that constantly takes from you and puts you down, a friend that sleeps on your couch for weeks at a time and never helps around the house, but you can’t just let them wonder off because you have never known what it is like to not have them as a friend.

Depression can make you feel physical pain, emotional pain and it can isolate you from your loved ones like nothing else you have ever experienced. It can tear you apart, and just when you think you can’t take anymore it will make you feel even worse. Do not let it win.

I want all of you to know that there is always a silver lining. As a suicidal depressive person, I have had to teach myself how to find the positivity in every circumstance. You HAVE to look at the highlights of your life and find joy and pleasure in the little things. Most days, a smile from a stranger or a whiff of blooming flowers is all you need to get by, and some days not even a million dollars will satisfy your urge to hate yourself, but no matter what, you have to keep going.”
M told me personally that music has helped her a lot through her depressive states. We will talk about that in detail next week.

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at:
Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department:
Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm

Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:15
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15
Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always