Depression is a mental health disorder which causes sadness and loss of interest in activities that used to be a part of that person’s life. Depression is not your everyday ups and downs; it is a long-term problem that has a 6-8 month period on average. There are many ways that depression can be caused, such as genetics, biological changes, physiological and environmental. Some people can have a higher chance of getting depression than that of other people. Some reasons certain people are more likely to be depressed than others is life events such as divorce, poverty, childhood trauma, and genetic factors. There are more than 3 million people in the United States who have a diagnosis of depression. Some statistics for depression are 1 in 10 Americans are treated for depression. Over 80 percent of individuals who have symptoms of depression do not receive any treatment for their condition. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and West Virginia are the states with the highest number of people diagnosed with depression. People ages 45-64 are more likely to have a diagnosis of depression than others. Women are more likely to have depression symptoms than men. 60-80 percent of all depression cases can be treated with antidepressants and short structured psychotherapy sessions. In order to know if depression is something to worry about there are many doctors who can give you more information and treatments if needed.
What is Depression
DEPRESSION IS REAL
Depression is more than having a bad couple of days. It is a diagnosable mental illness with specific changes in moods, thoughts and behaviors over a period of time. Similar to physical illness, depression can run in families or be triggered by stress. It can also occur at varying degrees of intensity and can look different in different people.
Depression is characterized by chemical and physical changes in the brain. It is diagnosed by having at least 5 symptoms (2 of which must be the first 2 listed below) most of the day, every day, for 2 weeks or more. In addition, there must be noticeable problems with day-to-day functioning (i.e. school, work, relationships) that is different from what is considered “normal” for a particular person.
Symptoms include:
- Change in mood: depressed or irritable
- Decreased interest or pleasure in most activities
- Significant weight change or change in appetite
- Change in sleep: sleeping too much or too little
- Change in activity: feeling sped up or slowed down
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Negative self-perception: feeling worthless or excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Problem thinking clearly: diminished ability to think, concentrate or indecisiveness
- Suicidality: thoughts of death or suicide or acts of self-harm
There are also common behavioral changes we may notice that can indicate depression is at play:
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Problems getting to school
- A drop in grades
- Physical aches and pains
- A change in friends
- Running away
- Reckless behavior
- Lack of attention to appearance or hygiene
- Aggression
I Think I Might Have Depression
If you think you might have depression or you just need someone to talk to, there are plenty of hotlines and support groups where you can vent without worry to someone you cannot see. All the people you are talking to are either trained crisis workers or know what it’s like to have depression, so you are talking to someone who understands.
Hotlines are either available 24/7 or at certain times. Most of them are available 24/7 so people can talk to them anytime they need to. A stranger is there to listen to you and give advice and you don’t need to worry about what they will think. Calls to hotlines are confidential and free but there are certain lines that are not free. THere are hotlines that can respond to specific needs such as eating disorders, child abuse, and many more, but there are also hotlines that are a lot more general and can help no matter the specifics.
All the lines below are free, confidential,24/7, and general hotlines.
US Hotline Numbers
US Suicide Hotline – 1 (800) 784-2433
Suicide Prevention Services Crisis Hotline – (800) 784-2433
Suicide Prevention Services Depression Hotline – (630) 482-9696
National Youth Crisis Hotline – (800) 448-4663
The Samaritans Crisis Hotline – (212) 673-3000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1 (800) 273-8255
Text lines are like hotlines, but for people who don’t want to talk over the phone or who cannot talk over the phone. They are also very helpful to deaf or mute people. Like hotlines, they are usually free, confidential, and many are available 24/7. It is especially helpful in this age because many younger people are more familiar with texting and find it more comfortable. Unfortunately, there are not very many text lines, and hotlines and online message boards vastly outnumber them. So, there aren’t any that deal with specific situations. But all are still great for general needs. All the lines below are free, confidential and available 24/7.
Text Line Numbers
Crisis Text Line:
text “GO” to 741741
Txt 4 Life:
text “LIFE” to 6122
In depression support groups, you can vent about your feelings to other people and they can provide insight to help you. All the other people in the support groups are people who have or have had depression, so you are among people who understand how you are feeling. Other members can also give you suggestions how how to cope with depression. There are also online depression support groups, so you can talk to people who understand how you feel in the comfort of your own home. Support groups are especially good for people who do not like to talk on the phone or who don’t like to be the only one that’s talking.
Online Support Groups
WebMD Message Boards:
https://messageboards.webmd.com/health-conditions/f/mental-health/
DBSA Online Support Groups:
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_Online_Support_Groups
Find Support Groups Near You
Anxiety and Depression Association of America:
https://www.adaa.org/supportgroups
American Association of Suicidology:
http://www.suicidology.org/
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance:
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_support_group_locator
Emotions Anonymous:
http://emotionsanonymous.org/
Stigma Surrounding Depression
Society’s stifling silence surrounding mental health creates a hostile environment for the ill. People afflicted with depression are scared to reach out for help for fear that they will be treated differently. Our society’s way of dealing with mental health education for a long time was to say that depressed people are suicidal and should be approached cautiously because they are fragile. This is a major factor leading towards the alienation of the mentally ill. Another thing that society has seemed to teach is that you will be able to tell if a depressed person walks by because they will constantly be on the verge of tears. This is so very far from the truth. Many depressed people will not in any way want to draw attention to themselves for fear of having others judge them. Although some of those feelings stem from the depression itself, they are often based on reactions they have had from previous encounters. In addition, the symptoms of depression do not always include crying. Irritability and anger are just as common symptoms. It is almost impossible to tell if someone is depressed because depression is such a personal affliction.
The best way to lift the stigma is to have better education programs and to talk about mental illnesses in public. The mentally ill often feel alienated even if they are surrounded by people who want to help them because the people simply do not know how to help. Mental illness is extremely common in the United States, so we should be talking about treatment as much as we publicize.