This
is an issue of semantics. "Depression" is a medical disorder
that requires treatment; feeling "depressed" refers to the emotion
that describes a sense of discouragement. While depressed
mood is a symptom of depression, it is only one of many classic symptoms.
It is perhaps because the two terms are oftentimes incorrectly
interchanged that misconceptions about the medical disorder exist
and those who have it are expected to simply "snap out of
it."
Common Symptoms
of Depression
-
depressed mood
-
tearfulness
-
loss of interest in activities
-
changes in weight or appetite
-
changes in sleep patterns
-
irritability
-
fatigue
- indecisiveness
- difficulty concentrating
- feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- helplessness or hopelessness
- recurrent thoughts of death
-
suicide attempt
NOTE:
Much of the information in The
Depression Guide pertains to general concepts in recovery from mood
disorders. However, with constant advancements in medicine and
psychology, material (such as that on medication and therapy interventions)
can become outdated after just a short period of time.
Therefore,
please note that this website was created in 2005.
Contact Me:
If you have any comments, suggestions,
or questions, I'd love to hear from you!
e-mail, please send a request for a receipt
upon viewing (delivery).
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that I am not a professional.
All information on this website is the result of personal experience
with Major Depressive Disorder, topic research, and conversations
with other people also experiencing depression.
To read
a brief background about me, please scroll down to the bottom of this
page.
Welcome toThe
Depression Guide!
From the time I first suspected I had
a case of depression, I used the internet as a major source of information
about the disorder, its treatment, and coping skills. While
the internet contained a vast amount of information regarding this
illness, I found it difficult to get a sense of organization with
the abundant amount of information. It seemed as though everything
was scattered so that you not only had to find what you needed to
know--you had to be aware of the fact that it existed to begin with!
After
having spent many years flipping through online resources for
depression, as well as speaking to many people (both newly diagnosed
and veterans), I've compiled what I hope is a fairly comprehensive
overview of the components of recovery from depression.
The
purpose of this website is to provide individuals at all stages of
the recovery process, from those questioning whether they might have
depression to those working on relapse-prevention, with a sort of
road map. For people who are new to this disorder, it could
serve as a "starter kit"--complete with suggestions regarding how
to approach recovery; for those who are more experienced, it
could be a resource to refer to in order to refresh one's memory about
the wealth of information and services available, in addition to providing exposure
to new ideas.
In particular, I wanted to put together a behind-the-scenes
"tour" of what's available--emphasizing topics that frequently are
under-represented online or are difficult to track down. Moreover,
since many treatment professionals may be pressed for time or incorrectly
assume people already have a certain degree of awareness
of the disorder, I also felt it necessary to present the
basics of recovery from depression.
If you feel there is
something that could be added to enhance the site, or if you have
any comments or questions regarding the material, feel free to e-mail
me at the address to the right. I encourage feedback and always
find an exchange of ideas to be valuable.
Good luck with your
recovery!
Background About the Website Creator
It's
the kind of thing that can creep up on you. First you notice
that you're sleeping more than usual. Then comes the lack of
interest in things you once loved. You don't think twice about
it; instead, you rationalize them. "Oh, it's just the extra
stress lately." Or, "I'm just a bit under the weather right
now."
The onset of my case of Major Depressive Disorder was fairly
gradual, so I cannot say for certain when I developed depression,
although I do know I had a severe case by the time I was
12 or 13. At a time when acceptance by peers seems crucial,
a diagnosis of a mental illness could easily render someone an outcast.
While I was not overly concerned that I would be shunned, the stigma
of depression was certainly great enough to prevent me from discussing
the matter with anyone--parents included. I did not look forward
to the questions, the misconceptions, the blame other people, my parents
in particular, would place on themselves for being the "cause"
of my disorder.
From the very beginning, because a trip to the
psychiatrist could mean an open dialogue with my parents, I decided
I would sacrifice my high school years and seek treatment once I hit
18 (when all my medical information would be confidential from my
parents). I suffered many ups and downs, many close calls, and
many doubts about the future during this time. I even recall
sitting at my high school graduation ceremony thinking I never should
have lived this long; it was quite a surrealistic experience!
When
I finally turned 18, and subsequently entered college, there
was a sense of relief that, "Ok, NOW I'll be able to feel better!"
I was under the misconception that I would simply take an anti-depressant,
like Prozac, for a couple weeks, and then it would be life back to
normal. Well, while that may be the case for some individuals,
I could not have been more wrong.
My trials with
medical treatments commenced with a decision to get help
after I nearly attemped to overdose on amitriptyline--the confession landing
me in a local psychiatric hospital. The 5-day stay felt
like my initiation into the world of doctors, therapists, and frustration.
Although I was absolutely devastated at the time, my parents learned
of my disorder while I was still at the hospital (kind of difficult
to explain away "Dr. So-and-so, please report to the psychiatric ER..."
in the background of phone calls to home!). Despite my discomfort
in them knowing, and my hopes that they would not place blame on themselves
(which, of course, they did, naturally), it was the best thing that
could have happened to my recovery.
They promptly arranged for
me to see professionals on a regular basis, as well as gave me the
practical and social support I needed to make it from day to day.
Sadly, their support was not enough to "make me better", as they put
it. That first year was rough, trying a whole array of medications
that did nothing more than render me physically ill. When it
got to the point where I was no longer functioning (as in able to
attend class, make dinner for myself, etc.), we decided to take the
plunge...and try ECT (electroconvulsive "shock" therapy).
With
no success from the ECT, it was then a merry-go-round of more meds,
rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation), acupuncture,
and even more meds. Now, two years after seeking professional assistance
(and approximately eight years since I first recognized
the signs of my Major Depressive Disorder), my life is still on hold.
I am currently taking a promising medication, however only time
will tell if its positive effects are long-lasting and strong
enough (and side effects mild enough) for me to reclaim my life.
I
have learned a lot throughout the years--a lot about depression AND
a lot about myself. I have no doubt I will emerge from this
life-altering experience with a new outlook on life. No longer
will I take even the most "insignificant" things for granted.
No longer will I hide my disorder because it is NOT a weakness--something
to be ashamed of. Perhaps in becoming vocal about the illness
and a proponent of treatment and recovery, I will touch just one life--and
that would make this entire experience worth it!
In knowledge,
there is power, and in power, there is hope...
"Not 'til we are lost....do we begin to find ourselves." - Henry David Thoreau
"There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going." - Anonymous
"When
one door to happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so
long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened
for us." - Helen Keller
"Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents,
which
in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant" - Horace
"The
most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely." - Carl
Gustav Jung
"Whether
you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right." - Henry Ford
"Experience is not what happens
to you; it's what you do with what happens to you."
- Aldous Huxley
"What lies
behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters
compared to what
lives within us." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
"You must
do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt
"Success is the ability to go from one failure
to another
