Depression

Maybe this should be in the Health&fitness section, Azz please decide.

What is depression?

I am not getting at anyone or trying to take the Mickey I just want to understand it and why it occurs in some people, I have never understood why people get this way.

In the old days when people got bored, fed up, feeling sorry for themselves, thinking the world was against them, saw no future in their life they were told to get on with life and stop being a fool.

These days they go to the doctor who, due to little time, lack of interest, call it what you want, they prescibe anti-depressants so, the person goes away and takes the medicine which makes them feel a bit better, or is it auto-suggestion because the doc said they would, only to find after a while they are hooked on the drug which, when they find out makes them depressed.

Why do people get this way, is it not be better to give yourself a kick up the bum and get on with life or is it necessary to take the anti-depressant?

I would appreciate any input into this problem, the reason is we have a friend who is getting in a low way and no matter what we try she is not always responding, some days she does and some days she gets worse. We have not found the cause of her attitude to life yet so your input may help.

Re: Depression

A very good thread AB, as I'm sure the dreaded depression thing affected us all at one time or another, I remember having a very bad case of it when I was in my forties and everything my loved ones or friends tried to do for me could not get me out of it, the Doctor's medicine didn't help either. I remembered what someone who had suffered from depression had said to me, 'You can only get out of depression by your own efforts, it's all up to yourself'. He was right, I made a big effort to shake this thing off and start enjoying life again as I had a lot to be thankful for. I never get depressed anymore, a little down now and then, but never like before.

Re: Depression

It may also be due to better medical understanding of the types of depression (not all are the same) and therefore more people are now correctly diagnosed as depressed. I have several friends who are 'bi-polar' - something which used to be called Manic depression.

Re: Depression

AB I think genuine depression (as opposed to a reaction to lifes experiences) is related to amongst other things 'mood regulators' in the brain, these include serotonin and dopamine.

We can use our determination and willpower to overcome life experiences, but we really need medical help to deal with an imbalance of mood regulators.

Re: Depression

I don't think there is any easy answer or easy solution to depression as there are different types and different causes. Each case would have to be analyzed individually.There are people who are self destructive with very little coping skills who are always at risk as there are people who generally cope well enough but external events can become overwhelming causing depression and breakdowns.Prolonged stress and anxiety is what generally leads onto depression.

Depression isn't a new affliction but it is approached with a better understanding and dealt with differently than days gone by.

Re: Depression

I think a lot of depression is brought on by all the crap in our foods - I talk from personal experience because when I eat that stuff I feel 'down'. Additionally eating that stuff has an affect on your health so you end up actually getting ill/feeling not so great health-wise.. which in turn can make you depressed.

Every manufacturer that puts all sorts of chemical crap in their foods has a lot to answer for - and so do the govts because they know full well what affect it has, study after study has shown it.

Re: Depression

AB I think first you need to try to determine the cause of the problem , how long has it been going on/did some particular incident trigger the depression.
A visit to the doctor can help to rule out a medical condition or provide a referral to an appropriate professional.
The thing some people need the most is being given the chance and time to explain in depth how they feel. It can help if they talk to someone unknown to them, a 'listener '.
Telling a depressed person to pull themselves together doesn't really help because they are unable to do this, it can actually make them feel worse and 'a failure'.

AB It's good that your friend has you to be concerned about them .

Re: Depression

Thank you for your responses people.

Azz you could be right about the crap in food these days that is why we eat mostly fresh food and not crap that manufacturers produce, it could also be one of the problems with our friend which we had not thought of. She has started to get her evening meals delivered recently so maybe, who knows.

I do know that there are differant types of depression and some are triggered by the loss of someone or thing which we all go though from time to time especially as we get older and see our friends getting less and less as they leave for another place.

I am still not convinced that long term drugs are right for any illness, short stop gap medicines yes but long term no.

Thank you again for your input we will try desperately to find the cause which has triggered the depression.

Re: Depression

When a person is suffering depression I believe that they cannot "snap out of it" themselves. They do need help and an understanding by others and themselves of what is happening to them. Some "depression" is known as endogenous depression and is a condition that is not brought on by an upsetting event or experience. Although external events may contribute to an episode, it frequently comes on out of the blue.
Psychiatrists often distinguish between this type of "biological" depression from depression resulting from stressful factors in a person's life, termed "reactive" depression. Symptoms of endogenous depression are largely similar to reactive depression. They include: fatigue, feelings of sadness and hopelessness, loss of interest in activity, sleep disturbances.
It is believed that endogenous depression may well be genetic and can appear at varying times and with varying degrees of severity throughout a person's lifetime. This type of depression (if that is the correct term for the chemical inbalance that it actually is) does respond very well to medication.
Some of the most brilliantly creative, thoughtful and intelligent people have suffered "depressions". Winston Churchill often referred to "black dog" to describe his mood. Dear old Spike Milligan was a manic depressive, as is Bill Oddie - both very sensitive and intelligent men, who probably cared too much.
I think it is about time that these conditions lost the stigma which is attached to them. I wish we could all stop being scared of going the same way and be more inclusive and understanding. (I'll get off my soapbox now - sorry for the lecture folks).

Re: Depression

One thing that gets me with depression, is the reluctance for doctors to get too involved with it. A few years ago, you would have got referred to a specialist, these days they have a checkbox quiz sheet and then throw a box of pills at you and if they don't work, tough. Practical help seems to be reliant on a perscripton of Fluoxetine

I know. I have been there.