An introduction to depression, it’s causes and treatment written by a person whose life has been colored by long term severe depression.
If you or a family member find these symptoms familiar then continue reading. When you finish, follow the links on my links page to other sites where you will uncover much more information about depression and its treatment.
I battled severe depression to a standoff. I don't say I won the battle, rather I say it does not rule my life. While doing so I found extensive information about depression on the web. But much of it is superficial, still more comes from commercial enterprises whose objectivity is open to question. All in all, the web presents a disjointed picture and searching it can be frustrating. My salvation came from attending a depression outpatient program at a local hospital. After implementing their recommended regimen I found myself rapidly advancing to a healthier state of mind. To further my recovery and, hopefully, to help others I have consolidated information from that program and other reputable sources, combined it with my experience into this introduction to depression.
I am not a mental health practitioner or physician. Do not make any decisions based solely on what you read here or elsewhere on the web. Your decisions and course of action should be made in consultation with your physician and therapist.
It is normal for people to become depressed when something bad happens. This type of depression normally goes away after a short period of time; but in some cases it persists for much longer. It can last for six months or more, and then it falls under the classification of clinical depression. It is an illness that if not diagnosed and treated early causes physical damage to the brain.
Many things can contribute to clinical depression. For some people, a number of factors may be involved, while for others it may take only a single factor. Sometimes, people become depressed for no apparent reason.
Biological – Some people may naturally have too little of certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters (more about them later). Changes in the levels of these chemicals can cause clinical depression.
Cognitive – People with negative thinking patterns and low self-esteem are more likely to develop clinical depression.
Gender – Women experience clinical depression at a rate that is nearly twice that of men. While the reasons for this are still unclear, they may include the hormonal changes women go through during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Other reasons may include the stress caused by the multiple responsibilities that women have.
Co-occurrence – Clinical depression is more likely to occur along with certain illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and hormonal disorders.
Medications – Side effects of some medications can bring about depression.
Genetic – A family history of clinical depression increases the risk for developing the illness.
Situational – Difficult life events, including divorce, financial problems or the death of a loved one can contribute to clinical depression.
A leading cause of depression is stress to your body. Many things in your daily life are stressful: lack of sleep, every day mental and emotional battles, over committing yourself, illness, disease, poor health, poor diet, lack of exercise, child birth, surgery, death of a loved one, relationship problems, parenting problems, divorce, hormonal changes, etc. Such stress can, if not relieved, lead to depression.
It is amazing how many little things that occur in our daily life are stressful. It seems to me that anything that causes you to become angry or frustrated or to frown, scowl, grit your teeth, tighten your muscles, clench your hands is causing some amount of stress. And there are things such as illness, a junk food diet and hormonal changes that you may not think of as being stressful but in fact are stressing your body.
Combining multiple stress factors (such as a divorce + alcohol + poor diet + no exercise) is almost guaranteed to create enough stress to bring on a bout of depression.
To understand why and how stress causes depression, and you do need to understand it, you need to learn just a little bit about brain chemistry. Okay, now we are getting to the heart of the matter.
- Neurotransmitters are chemicals manufactured by your body while you sleep. These chemicals play a large role in how you feel. Life is good when your body has a normal supply of them. Life sucks when they are in short supply.
- When you are under stress, to counteract that stress, your brain reabsorbs neurotransmitters it has just manufactured.
- All those bad feelings you have come from not having enough neurotransmitters.
- Antidepressant medications inhibit the re-absorption of neurotransmitters.
- The antidepressant allows some of the good feelings to return which allows you to (1) function somewhat better than you were functioning and (2) work on eliminating the causes of your stress. Though the outward signs will diminish, you are still depressed. Something else is needed to fully overcome severe major depression.
That something else is therapy to treat any psychological or emotional problems that are contributing to the depression and education to help you (1) eliminate or at least reduce the amount of stress you incur in your everyday life; (2) better cope with the stress you can’t get rid of; (3) improve your physical fitness so that what stress does come your way will have less of an effect on your body; (4) change bad habits and improve your lifestyle.
As for information about anti-depressants, I am not a professional but there are a few thoughts about depression medications in general I feel comfortable sharing with you.
In addition to therapy and medications, you need to take care of your body and mind on a daily basis. The healthier your mind and body, the easier it is to shrug off the effects of stress. There are some things you can do each day that will speed your recovery and help prevent future bouts of depression. I think of them as the daily 9. Try and make them a part of your daily routine, and keep at them even after you have recovered.
Be aware too of the ways fear can harm you and prevent you from making changes. Don’t allow fears to hold you back. Resolve to overcome them.
Don’t expect an overnight cure. It will take time. With an appropriate medication and supportive counseling it will not be long before your life becomes more bearable. The best way to cope is to live your life one day at a time. Practice living your life just for today. If you learn to take care of yourself for today, you will find the future taking care of itself.
Do actively reach out to ask for and accept support from those close to you. Hopefully your family members will read and put into practice the information you find on the web about how they can help your recovery process. If things are difficult in your personal relationships then seek support from your church and/or support groups such as the 
Depression Support Alliance, Recovery, Inc. and Emotions Anonymous.
Also, I suggest you not try and hide your illness from friends and co-workers. Depression is a physical illness and not something to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. Do not allow yourself or others to think of you as weak willed, or mentally lacking. Real men (and women) do become depressed. If you try to hide it, you are expressing shame. That feeling can only make your recovery more difficult. By being forthright about your situation, anyone who had been wondering about your behavior will now have an explanation, making it easier for them to be supportive during your recovery.
Finally, I leave you with three quotes that I try and keep in mind to help me on my journey.
Living in the present includes being aware of vulnerabilities and traps from the past. Awareness of past problems is a crucial first step. But if you get stuck at that step: you will become a victim again, become demoralized and perpetuate self-defeating patterns.
—Barry & Emily McCarthy, “Confronting the Victim Role,” Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc, New York
In conscious living, one of the daily tasks is to focus your attention on what matters most. In the first session of counseling, I often ask, “What matters to you most in the world?” Frequently their eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and many say it’s the first time they’ve been asked that question. Odd, isn’t it that we can go through a day on this planet without pausing to wonder if we are focusing on what matters most?
—Gay Hendricks, “A Year of Living Consciously,” Harper, San Francisco (edited for brevity)
It became very clear to me in compiling the data from the study that those people who personally take responsibility for their own wellness achieve the highest levels of stability, the highest levels of wellness, control over their own lives, and happiness.
—Mary Ellen Copeland, MS “The Depression Workbook,” New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 1992