Depression
Are you
depressed?
A definition of depression includes:
- At least two weeks of abnormal depressed mood
- Loss of interest and decreased energy
And may include any of the following symptoms:
- Loss of confidence
- Excessive guilt
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Poor concentration
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Sleep disturbance
- Change in appetite
- Weight gain or loss
- Recurrent thoughts of death
"It (depression) is not a fleeting sadness but a pervasive and relentless sense of despair. A lack of interest in life accompanied by weight loss, loss of appetite, feelings of uselessness and sleep disturbance are some of the more common symptoms.
"People with depression can't just 'snap-out of it'.
"There can be an array of causes - it can be due to stresses in the home or at work, or it can just come out of the blue. Sometimes family history can be a major factor."
- Professor Scott Henderson
Director of NHMRC Centre for Mental Health Research at ANU
Before running off to the doctor for some pills,
consider
this...
Just as there are many causes for depression, there are also many ways to prevent and combat it:
- Get out in the sunshine - did you know that a lack of sunshine can produce depression symptoms?
- Get plenty of exercise - exercise produces endorphins which naturally enhance your mood
- Avoid refined foods - they give you a quick high but leave you feeling depressed later
- Eat a healthy well balanced diet and/or supplement with multivitamins - dietary deficiencies can produce depression symptoms
- Change
your method of contraception - the contraceptive
pill is known to cause depression symptoms in some women
- Get a medical checkup - a number of medical conditions and some prescribed medications can produce depression symptoms
- See a chiropractor - some neck and back problems can produce depression symptoms
- See a naturopath - various allergies, dietary intolerances and deficiencies not readily recognised by mainstream medicine can produce depression symptoms
- Read a motivational book for at least 20 minutes every day to help lift your mood
- Enlarge your social circle - studies show that people in extended families have lower rates of depression
- Take up a hobby or interest - find something you can get excited about!
- Get
a pet - studies show that people with pets have better
emotional health
- Go to church - studies show that people who profess faith in God have lower rates of depression
- Strengthen your personal relationships - learn how to have good boundaries with others
- Deal with any unresolved anger, grief, guilt or anxiety that may be underlying your depression
- Talk to someone you trust about your problems - a problem shared may be a problem solved
- Join
a group - sharing others who are going through the same
experience can help you and them
- See a professional counsellor - the "talking cure" is more effective and more permanent than medication and has none of the side effects
- If you are a Christian, you may also wish to
consider attending prayer
ministry
