Depression:
How to Help Yourself or Someone Else
Twenty
percent of all adults (1 in 5) will experience depression
during their lifetime. Women are diagnosed with depression
almost twice as much as men. Fewer than 30% of the people
suffering from depression will seek treatment, although
over 80% of those who do seek help will experience significant
improvement.
How
Do You Know If a Person is Depressed?
If
you or someone you know exhibits four or more of the following
symptoms for more than two weeks, professional help should
be considered.
· Sleeping too much or too little
· Frequent wakening in the middle of the night.
· Eating too much or too little
· Inability to function at work or school
· Headaches, digestive disorders, nausea, pain
with no medical basis
· Excessive crying
· Thoughts of death or suicide
· Lack of energy, constant fatigue
· Slowed thinking
· Difficulty in concentrating, remembering, making
decisions
· Loss of interest in daily activities
· Loss of sex drive
· Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness
· Restlessness, agitation, irritability
· Feelings of inappropriate guilt or worthlessness
How
to Help Someone who is Depressed
·
Be supportive and patient; let the person know that you
are concerned and you care
· Don't blame the person or get angry
· Don't be overly cheerful, try to make the person
smile, or give false assurances
· Tell the person that depression is not a sign
of weakness
· Encourage the person to seek professional help
How
to Help Yourself
·
Change your normal routine take a break and do something
for fun, even if you don't feel like it
· Exercise, do something active
· Avoid stress
· Avoid making major changes or decisions until
you feel better
· Seek professional help if symptoms persist
· Relax and enjoy (or tolerate) your feelings of
sadness
· Talk your feelings out with someone you trust
· Have a good cry
· Analyze the situation; try to pinpoint the source
of your depression
· Eat right; especially focus on increasing your
intake of B vitamins
· Write or draw your feelings
· Check out the assumptions you are making which
are leading to your depression
· Treat others with respect
· Avoid shopping or eating binges
