Depression: Do Not Suffer In Silence

Depression, literally millions of people suffer from it. Do you have more bad days than good? Do you cry for no apparent reason? Are you sad, and do you stay sad more often than not? Do you feel a sense of hopelessness and a profound sense of emptiness? Do you sleep a great deal? Do you stay awake a great deal in the night (sleeplessness)? Are you eating more than usual or are you not eating at all? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, there’s a great possibility you are suffering from depression.

What are the causes of depression? The answer is complex and not exact. Many times life events can cause depression, e.g., death of a loved one, divorce, financial difficulties, chronic illness, or loss of a job. Sometimes things that should be happy experiences are not, e.g., marriage or birth of a child.

Another cause of depression can be found in your family tree. Genetics can play a role in depression. Was your mother depressed? Did your uncle commit suicide? Often a depressed person will remember someone in their family, who was a very sad person, and a very close look at family history may show numerous relatives have suffered from this sometimes debilitating illness.

Chemical causes of depression have been suspected for many years and in the early to mid 1980s the first medications were produced dealing with brain chemistry. Your body creates two primary chemicals, serotonin and norepinephrine, that affect the part of your brain dealing with happiness and sadness. Several anti-depressants have been produced to help control these chemicals, e.g., Prozac, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, and others. How these medications work is rather complex and your pharmacist, doctor, and nurse can explain the process to you. The fact is, they can work for you.

How do I get happy? Depression is treatable. First step, go to your family physician and “talk” to him. Most family physicians know either what kind of medications can help you or they know a good specialist in emotional problems that can help you, e.g., social worker or a psychiatrist. Second step, take the step; do not suffer alone and untreated. Specialists can get you on the right track by recommending medications and individual therapy (talking to a licensed therapist and discuss your feelings). Final step, change your lifestyle. Change your attitude about your depression, take long walks, talk to loved ones, get a pet, and involve yourself with new and positive experiences. Life is much too short. Don’t live it in misery.