Depression 

• It's more than being temporarily "down" or "blue"
• It is a physical illness involving a chemical imbalance in the brain.
• It can be described as a "blue" period lasting several weeks accompanied by other symptoms.
• It affects the total person - behavior, mood, and thoughts as well as your physical health, academic or work performance, and the ability to handle every day situations.

Types of clinical depression

• Major depression: a combination of symptoms, often severe and disabling, occurrences vary.
• Dysthymia: less severe, long term chronic, doesn't disable, but person can't function up to their potential.
• Manic depressive/bipolar illness: not as common, depression cycles with mania. Affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior which leads to serious problems and embarrassment.

Causes

Not known specifically. Current beliefs:

1) Chemical imbalances.
2) Data suggests a genetic link, as it has shown to run in families.
3) Some medications can trigger a depressive episode.
4) Other factors can influence the onset of a depressive episode, such as a stressful environment, low self esteem, pessimistic thinking, and being easily overwhelmed.

Symptoms

Depression
- sad/empty mood
- loss of interest in things
- sleep disturbance (more or less)
- eating disturbance (more or less)
- difficulty concentrating, making decisions
- hopelessness, worthlessness
- POS (rapid, disorganized speech)
- guilt
- death/suicide
- irritability
- increased crying
- chronic aches/pains unresponsive to treatment
- fatigue/loss of energy

Mania
- boundless energy
- increased activity
- increased risk taking behavior/poor judgment
- easily distracted
- grandiose/delusional thinking
- impulsive/erratic behavior
- decreased sleep
- irritability
- FOI (racing thoughts)

If you have 4 or 5 of these symptoms within a 2 week period, see a doctor or mental health professional

Treatments

80-90% of persons can be helped, usually in a matter of 4-6 weeks.

• Medications: quicker than therapies, for more severe depressions, if reoccurring, then the patient stays on medications.
• Psychological therapies: for less severe cases may be used alone, or often used along with medications for optimal results.
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): used if situation is life threatening/depression is severe, if medications aren't effective, for pregnant women who can't take medications, or for severe mania.

Most important: asking for help, because people fail to recognize the symptoms.
Only I in 3 people get help because:

1) Symptoms are often blamed on the person as a weakness.
2) People get misdiagnosed.
3) A person gets so disabled, so they can't ask for help.

When serious

• School and job performance decrease.
• There can be increased alcohol and drug use (alcohol is a depressant and makes it worse).
• There is increased running away behavior.
• There is increased feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.
• There is increased incidents of suicide.

If untreated

• It doesn't go away!
• 15% of persons with severe, untreated depression commit suicide.
• Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S.A.

In summary

• Clinical depression is a serious physical illness.
• It is not due to poor parenting or weak character.
• It is not hopeless.
• It affects 190 million Americans every year.
• Women are twice as likely to have an episode of depression in their lifetime than men. One- fourth of all women and one-eighth of all men will be effected.
• Depression affects all ages and all cultures.
• Depressive illnesses are the second most common group of the major mental illnesses, occurring in 8.3% of the population (anxiety disorders makes up 14%, schizophrenia makes up 1.5%).

To get more information or help

Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Iowa, In Des Moines:
(515) 254-0417 or Other (800) 417-0417

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill:
(800) 950-6264.

Your personal doctor, hospital, or local mental health center.

The D/ART Program:
(800) 421-4211.

The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association:
(800) 826-3632.

Thanks to NAMI Iowa for permission to use these materials.