What is depression?

It comes in many forms but are treatable says DR VASILIOS SILIVISTRIS

Depression is a condition that can take on many forms, from the short-lived feelings of sadness that most of us suffer in response to disappointments of everyday life, right up to severe depressive disorders that require treatment. A depressive illness is an overwhelming feeling, which dulls thinking, impairs concentration, saps energy, interest in food, sex, work and everyday activities and disrupts sleep.

How to recognise depression.
Feeling down, sad, anxious and bored.
Tired: fatigued, everything an effort, slowed movements.
Sleep: waking during the night or too early in the morning, oversleeping or having trouble getting to sleep.
Slow thinking: poor concentration, forgetfulness or indecision.
Loss of interest in food, work, sex: life seems dull.
Value: reduced sense of self-worth, low self-esteem, or guilt.
Aches: headaches, chest or other pains without a physical basis.
Not wanting to live: suicidal thoughts or thinking of death.

What causes depression?
Depression is frequently preceded by setbacks in life, such as bereavement, relationship or financial difficulties, problems at work or medical illness. We all react to loss with a sense of disappointment that in its impact can vary from mild to disabling. An inherited tendency towards depression is a major factor in determining how depressed a person will become following a loss.

Reactive or clinical depression
This is an extension of the normal upset feeling following an unhappy event in a person’s life, such as the death of a close relative or friend, marriage break-up or loss of employment. Typically, a sufferer will feel low, anxious and will often be angry or irritable.
For some people, reactive depression can follow even minor setbacks as the individual’s personality leaves them particularly vulnerable to disappointments.

Bipolar disorder or manic depression
The symptoms of the depressed phase of bipolar are episodes of elation or mania with which the depression alternates. Although elation is usually considered a pleasurable experience, it often has a devastating effect on a person’s life.
Its symptoms are:
Feeling elated: enthusiastic, excited, angry, irritable or depressed.
Energy: Great energy, ‘never felt as well’, over-talkative or over-active.
Sleep: Reduced need for sleep and marked difficulty in getting off to sleep.
Thinking: racing thoughts, pressure in the head, indecisive, jumping from one topic to another, and poor concentration.
Increased interest in pleasurable activities: new adventures, sex, alcohol, drugs, religion, music or art.
Value: excessive and unrealistic belief in one’s ability, or having grandiose plans.
Aches: never tiring, being unaware of the physical symptoms of illness such as asthma, having muscle tension at the back of the head or around the shoulders.
Live: thinking that one can live forever, taking reckless physical risks or, if angry or distressed, feeling suicidal.

Treatment
It is important to note, alcohol is a depressant it will only make the depression worse and much harder to treat.
Depression and bipolar depression are extremely responsive to treatment.
Over 80 per cent of the most serious depressions can be quickly helped. Effective psychotherapies (talking treatments) and non-habit-forming antidepressant medications enable people to recover from depression and help prevent recurrences. If given proper care, people with depression or bipolar disorders can achieve recovery and lead productive and enjoyable lives.
Finally, do not bottle things up, remember that you are suffering from depression, it is not you being weak, and you cannot simply ‘pull yourself together’. Your depression is treatable.
Remember, you are also NOT ALONE.

Dr Vasilios Silivistris (Vasos) is a psychotherapist, counselling practitioner psychotherapycounselling.uk/