Facts about Depression

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Depression affects millions of people all around the world on a daily basis. From mild depression to full-blown severe depression, there are different degrees of the condition, but all types of depression share some common characteristics. This article seeks to go through some key facts about depression that some people, perhaps, are not aware of.

Many therapists would rather meet their depressive clients out in the fresh air than in the therapy room. This is because they know that depression is always best dealt with in the long run by some fresh air and exercise. A short run on a daily basis does a lot more than medication can, on a long-term basis anyway. Good and regular exercise actually goes to work on your body and mind for long-term benefits. The natural chemicals that are released when we exercise do a lot more to boost our mental coping strategies than we think. In fact, many medical specialists state that they would rather use physical exercise along with other lifestyle changes, as their main procedure of therapy. Medication and other strategies such as talk therapy certainly work to deal with symptoms, but to change your life permanently, fresh air and exercise is a positive combination.

Depression just doesn’t affect you alone, particularly when you look cautiously at the emotional influence it can have on the people close to you. It is not uncommon for the family and friends of a depressed person to feel the need to move away from the sufferer, no matter how long they have known them or the extent of their emotional ties. Families can fall apart from the effects of depression. Children can feel distant from depressed parents and then eventually, as they grow older, find that they can no longer cope with the symptoms that their parent is experiencing. The only thing the may feel they can do is to literally move away from the situation.

Although it is understandably very difficult for a depression sufferer to see the impact of their condition upon others, this does not mean that it is not relevant. The most positive sufferers work hard to communicate with their loved ones, to build relationships, and then to find even more support among people who both understand and love them. This only happens with that first conversation about the problem and how each party feels about it. Rather than have relationships self-destruct, it is worth finding a way to invest time in communication.

The majority of people out there who are suffering from depression feel that they have little or no control over it but in fact the opposite is true. Medical experts in all regions generally approve that the single most important aspect of a person’s retrieval from depression is personal action. While will power alone will not help you to beat depression, it certainly allows other opportunities to develop that can help you further on down the line. Wanting to help yourself is therefore one of the biggest breakthroughs you can have.

While it may seem easy to use depressants like alcohol and other widely available drugs like marijuana, the simple truth is that they do nothing other than either delay the symptoms or make them worse. Alcohol, specifically, can bring ecstasy for a short while, but ultimately leads to more depression and even guilt as the sufferer feels that they have ‘come down’. What is worse, alcohol can lead to more problems within a family unit. Relationships suffer on a comprehensive level, and this is why drinking alcohol and taking other depressant substances can only lead to further problems.

Chronic pain is a symptom of depression. This can mean that some people can spend months suffering from chronic pain, which can be anywhere in the body, without realizing that they are actually also suffering from depression. Depression can be the root of the chronic pain, which makes things even worse. This is because the sufferer may pass extended time on painkillers, and may even develop an addiction to them, whilst at the same time letting depression to grow inside them. Left untreated, depression quickly becomes almost unmanageable. It is therefore important, for any person who suffers from chronic pain to keep a vigil on his or her emotional well-being also.

Depression has an incredible impact upon the human mind. Basically, you really cannot be accountable for your thoughts when you are in the midst of a depressive episode. This means that if you are having truly dark thoughts about suicide, don’t rely upon yourself to think your way out of it. The main aim here is to get some professional help. Some people have bad days, but suicidal thoughts are another thing entirely. Because your mind is so vulnerable when you are in the middle of a depression, then you are in real trouble if you begin to have thoughts that are dangerous or troublesome if acted upon.

It is hard to think about others when you are suffering form depression. There is a drug called cocaine that makes anyone who takes it incredibly selfish. This effect is very similar to the one that depressives can undergo. They can feel that the world revolves around them and have no idea of the bigger picture. A lot of depressives literally have no idea that anyone else may be feeling bad or has opinions or thoughts of their own. It is like living life with blinkers on.

We’ve kept the most surprising fact for last. It is now well documented that anxiety is misdiagnosed as depression 65% of the time. This means that if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of depression, get a full and thorough diagnosis. This prevents you form having to deal with a delayed programme of support for depression. You could be well on the way to recovery if you are frank with your doctor, and if you make sure you communicate clearly. If not, you could face months if not years of being treated as someone with just mild anxiety.