Depression is the oldest form of suffering.  It has been around since humans have been around, and since that time we have been struggling with ways to combat this longstanding enemy.

 

The last 100 years have seen the rise of the newest medical discipline, psychology.  Through the study of the mind, we have finally begun to grasp where suffering and depression come from, and what we can do to deal with it.

 

The following is what we can determined to be the symptoms of depression:

 

 

A) Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure

 

Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations

 

    1) depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.

    2) markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)

    3) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.

    4) insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

    5) psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely

subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)

    6) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

    7) feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)

    8) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)

    9) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

 

B) The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode

 

C) The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

 

D) The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism)

 

E) The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.

 

 

We have identified several ways to deal with depression.  The research consistently shows that a combination of medication (to make the feeling of depression more manageable) and psychotherapy (figuring out what the problems are and ways to deal with them) will give you your best opportunity for recovery.

 

A lot of people make the mistake of only going to see a psychiatrist when they are depressed.  Most psychiatrists do not offer psychotherapy as part of their practice, as they primarily will be focused on the pharmacotherapy aspect of your treatment.

 

If you are taking antidepressants, and wondering why they "aren't working" and not seeing a counselor, you aren't giving yourself the best chance at recovery.

 

A psychiatrist can give you all the medications in the world, but at the end of the day if you still feel like your life is not very good, then you aren't going to make any progress.

 

A Licensed Professional Counselor and the psychotherapy they practice is a key component in combating depression.  If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, finding a good counselor is a major step in the right direction.