Depression or Just the Blues
Depression or Just the Blues
| Author: Sara Jamison |
| Published on: December 1, 1998 |
Many people have had or will experience some kind of depression in their life. It can result from a death in the family or any kind of change that causes stress. Stress can sometimes trigger an inbalance of the chemical Serotonin in your brain. Medication can help balance this chemical and help keep in check.
Knowing when there's depression
"It started with an incident. I was sad. And each day that sadness worsened. Each day I felt like such a big failure that I couldn't think straight. As the days went by, I felt more useless, more hopeless, more lost. I would lie on the couch for hours wondering what the use in going on was. I would lie there and wish I was dead. I can't count how many times I thought out suicidal plans...in detail. I knew just how I would die." (Quoted from Leanna's homepage)
"I remember a few periods of doing nothing but dragging myself to work and, in my free time, reading romance novels. My roommates would try to coax me into going out and bar-hopping (which I normally loved), but I just didn't feel like it." (Quoted from Deborah M. Deren's homepage)
Depression is not something that should be left untreated and taken lightly. If it is, it can worsen and lead to suicidal thoughts and possible attempts.
While surfing the internet and talking to others, I've ran across many lists with tons and tons of symptoms that may show in a person that is experiencing depression. Here are some that seem to top all the lists:
- Crying a lot, at nothing or just little insignificant things
- Isolation
- Personality changes
- Hard to sleep, keep waking up, and/or hard to wake up in the morning
- Change in eating habits
- Thoughts of suicide
If someone you know is showing these signs, and has been for a long time, express your concern. Only 20% of mental illness sufferers receive help -- and that needs to change.
Places on the Internet that care
There are many places you can go to get help. Some people don't believe in self-diagnosis and treating the illness themselves, yet at the same time it can help to talk to others in a similar situation. alt.support.depression is a great place to talk to other mental illness sufferers and share concerns and questions with others. But also make sure you seek help from a professional doctor. Here are some sites that have information and support groups:
*Health-Center.com's Depression Page
And remember, depression should be taken care of as soon as possible, or the person you love may not be here tomorrow.
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