Depression

Depression is more than just having “bad day” or a normal response to grief or loss. Depression is a mood disorder that affects the individual as well as families and friends. A severe form called Major Depression frequently goes unrecognized and untreated and may lead to impaired interpersonal relationships at work and at home, as well as tragic consequences such as suicide.

This disorder is still misunderstood as a sign of weakness, rather than being recognized as an illness. It is diagnosed when at least five of the symptoms below are present continuously for more than two weeks:

Symptoms include

• Depressed or sad mood most of the time
• Decreased interest in activities which used to be pleasurable
• Low self-esteem
• Weight gain, or weight loss
• Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
• Doing too much activity, or no activity
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling worthless, or hopeless
• Recurrent thoughts of death
• Inappropriate guilt or unresolved anger

Treatment

Specific psychotherapy techniques and supports, often in combination with medications, have proven very effective in the treatment of major depression.