If you have to ask the question "do I have depression" then the answer is most probably YES, however only a qualified health care professional can formally diagnose depression, rule out the possibility of physical illness or the use of any prescription or non-prescription medication including recreational drugs which might be causing or intensifying the symptoms of depression.
What Is Depression?
"If depression is creeping up and must be faced, learn something about the nature of the beast: You may escape without a mauling" - Dr. R.W. Shepherd
Copyright 2011 - 2012 - DepressionAnxietyCure.Com
People who have never experience depression or been around someone who has will often desribe depression as just being sad. They say that they are "depressed" because their favourite reality television star got voted off or because they didn't get the christmas bonus that they had hoped for. In reality, depression is much more serious than being simply sad or upset. It is a long-term feeling of deep sadness that is often not as a result of any particular issue or problem in one's life.
For instance, we have all known people who have every reason under the sun to be depressed but somehow manage to keep a cheerful face on all the time - and they're not faking it. On the other hand, there are people who really do have everything going for them in life and find that they can't even find the energy to get out of bed.
Do I Have Depression - What Is Depression and Am I Depressed
Classic symptoms of depression to be aware of include:
- Feeling sad, empty or tearful for most of the day and during most days
- Diminished enjoyment or interest in activities previously enjoyed including a decrease in sex drive.
- Changes in eating habits and either an increase or decreases in appetite resulting in significant weight loss or weight gain
- Changes in sleeping patterns resulting in either insomnia and under sleeping or hypersomnia and over sleeping
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation (feeling excessively restless or feeling lethargic and slowed down)
- Difficulty concentating, remembering things or being indecissive even when making simple decisions.
- Physical aches and pains that have no medical cause.
- Irritable, anxious or an angry and cranky mood
- Social withdrawal from friends and family
- Feeling helpless and hopeless or feeling worthless
- Thoughts about suicide or recurrent thoughts of death or dying
Do I Have Depression
Understanding the symptoms of depression and then being aware of the signs or symptoms of depression that you might be experiencing is one way to answer the question 'do I have depression' and recognizing the warning signs of depression early on and then quickly implementing an effective form of treatment can also help prevent a mild or moderate depression from becoming a severe depression.
Depression is however a complex disorder and although identifying symptoms of depression, taking an online depression test, quiz or depression scale can all shed some light on and help answer the question 'am I depressed' a self assessment of depression is not a replacement for a formal diagnosis of depression performed by a medical health care provider.
Depression screening performed by a doctor, counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist will not only determine if depression exists but also evaluate the degree of depression, type of depression and also rule out any physical illness or medication that might be a cause of depression and then finally help determine the best course of action to treat depression.
How to Treat Depression
Can't I Just Take a Pill? - Yes, you can try antidepressants, but they don't work for everyone, and they come with a whole host of side effects that make staying on them virtually impossible for some people. Some studies show that one in four people who take prescription medication for their depression stop taking them within just a few months. Antidepressant drugs are overall most effective when combined with therapy.
Talk Therapy - Whilst depression pills may help deal with the symptoms of depression they have no impact on the cause of depression. Talk therapy unlike antidepressants gets to the root of the problem and teach more effective ways of thinking, behavaving and life-style changes that not only help lift depression but also help prevent relapse. The two most effective forms of therapy for treating both depression and anxiety disorders are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy( IPT).
Alternative Treatment - There are many forms of alternative treatments for depression such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and aromatherapy that, when combined with talk therapy or other therapeutic techniques, can help to heal a person's entire body. Also known as holistic healing, it results for many people in not only fewer signs of depression, but an overall sense of health and happiness that most patients haven't felt in years.
In addition to these forms of therapy, you may also want to look into many alternative treatments for depression such as herbal supplements that have been proven to work with many patients. From Kava Kava to Ginseng, St. John's Wort to SAM-e, there are many natural antidepressants that can help you achieve a happier and more stable outlook on life.
Disclaimer: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your health care provider but is for educational purposes only.
Recent Depression Articles
Recent Anxiety Articles
