| By :
Nadine Davis
Depression is one of those conditions that everyone has an opinion about, often expressed quite vocally, but also often without a lot of genuine understanding. Some sufferers try to describe what they are experiencing to family and friends, hoping for support and advice, but because the signs are often vague or conflicting, they can feel that their concerns have been down-played or even dismissed. Because they are not able to verbalized their feelings externally, they keep them inside, fearing further rejection. This starts a downward spiraling effect, as they become increasingly unable to deal with even minor issues, and with no outlet, their depressive thought patterns become stronger until they are overwhelmed. Feelings of depression can strike anyone for any reason, anything from the loss of life to relationship breakdowns or even childbirth can bring on the onset of depression. Many times throughout our lives we experience the "blues", but more often than not it goes away on its own as we work through the cause of the problem. Often, by attending counseling people in these situations are able to deal with their emotions and face the future with a positive outlook. Depression is often difficult to recognize because it can affect different people in different ways. Some people can become moody, quiet, and will withdraw themselves from social activities they would otherwise have enjoyed, while others may sleep excessively, or conversely, have insomnia when this is not a normal part of their sleep pattern. This makes depression hard to recognize, but there are some signs and symptoms that can provide an indication that there is something happening that warrants further investigation: => A persistent feeling of sadness, despair or emptiness => Change in sleep patterns, appetite or weight => Lack of control over negative emotions such as pessimism, anger, guilt, irritability and anxiety => Marked mood swings during the day i.e. feeling fine in the morning but deteriorating towards afternoon and evening => Lack of interest in pleasurable pursuits and forward events => Reduced ability to tolerate pain and appearance of numerous new ailments => Diminished or absent sex drive => Impaired concentration and memory => Unmotivated to do even the simplest tasks => Reduced energy levels Again, most people experience all of these issues at some time or other, but if these signs are present for more than two weeks continuously, the mood state is severe, and it interferes with normal work, social and family functioning, then an assessment by a health professional is the next step. Depression can be successfully treated, and by visiting a psychologist sufferers have found that with treatment and medication if necessary, their lives are back on track.
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