Depression Is Nothing to Be Ashamed Of

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An estimated 350 million people in the world, and almost 15 million in the U.S. alone, suffer from depression. Depression is different from being sad, although people often misuse the term “depressed” for “sad.”

There’s a big difference between being sad and having a depressive episode or suffering from depression. Most people have “felt depressed” as a normal reaction to grief, loss, or struggles such as losing a job or having relationship problems.

But when feelings of intense sadness, including feeling that you’re helpless, hopeless, or worthless, last for weeks and keep you from functioning normally, you may have depression.

According to the DSM-5, a manual used to diagnose mental health disorders, depression means that you have at least five of the following symptoms for at least two weeks:

• A depressed mood during most of the day, particularly in the morning
• Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
• Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (being unable to sleep or sleeping too much)
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities that were once pleasurable (including hobbies or sex) nearly every day
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
• A sense of restlessness or being slowed down
• Significant weight loss or weight gain

What do you do if you have these symptoms? First of all, seek help. If you are suicidal, call 911. You can also call a mental health crisis line such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) or the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) hotline. You probably have local crisis lines, too, and you can look them up here.

It can be hard to reach out, especially when you’re in the throes of depression, but it’s critical that you do. Trained professionals at these crisis lines can assist you in getting the help you need.

You can also talk to your physician; he or she may be able to refer you for counseling or medication assistance.

And speaking of medication…needing to take psychiatric medications is nothing to be ashamed of. Psych meds help your brain to work better, in much the same way that insulin helps diabetics to stay alive and functional.

How is depression treated? The best treatment for major depression is a combination of therapy and medications. Therapy will help you process life events that could be contributing to your depression. You’ll also learn techniques to stop negative self-talk and other behaviors that contribute to your depression. Medications will regulate your brain chemistry to make you more resilient when stressful situations arise in your life.

For more information about depression and other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder (alternating periods of deep depression and elation/risky behavior), visit this WebMD guide or the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.

Don’t be ashamed if you’re suffering from depression. You’re not alone, and you deserve to live. Reach out for help; it’s there, and better is possible.

Study Finds That Pets Help People Cope With Mental Illness

CC courtesy of Eric Sonstroem on Flickr.

People suffering from mental illness have known it for years, but science has only recently confirmed it: pets can help relieve the symptoms of mental illness. The study found that pets helped people cope with everything from loneliness to depression to schizophrenia and even thoughts of suicide.

The study was published today in the BMC Psychiatry journal. To many people, it’s not all that surprising. But in the health care field, it’s quite the breakthrough. The findings suggest that pets could become part of the treatment plan for patients diagnosed with mental illness. This is particularly important for patients who are seeking alternatives to medication.

Helen Brooks, lead author of the study, believes that part of the reason pets are so invaluable is that they serve as motivation.

"The routine these pets provide is really important for people. Getting up in the morning to feed them and groom them and walk them, giving them structure and a sense of purpose that they won't otherwise have," Brooks stated.

But that’s not the only benefit that pets provide. Several participants reported having a very close relationship with their pet, even surpassing the bonds they have with friends and family members.

"Many felt deep emotional connections with their pet that weren't available from friends and family," Brooks explained.

"When I'm feeling really low they are wonderful because they won't leave my side for two days," said a participant with two dogs and two cats. "They just stay with me until I am ready to come out of it."

According to Mark Longsjo, Program Director of Adult Services at McLean Southeast (an inpatient mental facility in Massachusetts), it’s not unusual for people to form really strong connections with their pets.

"We have so many patients come through, and we always ask them about their support system. Sometimes its family members, sometimes its friends, but it's very common to hear about pets," Longsjo stated.

I’m not going to lie—it warms my heart to hear about stories like this. As an animal lover myself, I cannot imagine what my life would be like without my dog, Ruby.

Demi Lovato Talks Mental Illness

Andrew Solomon says people feel that mental illness in a child "reflects
their failure as parents" - which is simply not true.

Mental illness isn’t really something we like to talk about. No one wants to hear about depression, anxiety, schizophrenia--they just aren’t pretty topics. But that doesn’t mean we can simply not address them; in fact, one of the problems facing mental illness today is that we don’t talk about it, and so the surrounding stigma never dissipates. The good news is that more and more people seem to be willing to join the conversation, and even celebrities, who hold a lot of social influence, are opening up about their experiences.

Pop star Demi Lovato isn’t shy about her struggles with mental illness. As the current voice for a mental wellness campaign called Be Local, Lovato encourages people to discuss mental illness frankly and honestly. "I think the taboo around mental illness will get to a better place because the conversation is becoming more common, even in the media," she says. The more we open ourselves up to the presence and problem of mental illnesses, the more likely people are to get the help they need.

But there is work to do yet. According to a Ted Talk by journalist Andrew Solomon, “people still think that it’s shameful if they have a mental illness. They think it shows personal weakness. They think it shows a failing. If it’s their children who have mental illness, they think it reflects their failure as parents.” Of course, simply none of this is actually true. One in four people suffers from some kind of mental disorder, mild to severe. But given such a rate that high, there is no reason for anybody dealing with a disorder to feel like they are alone in it.

Lovato speaks out because she says that it helps her. By giving voice to her feelings, they lose some of their power, and she hopes that speaking similarly will help other people, too. She believes that opening dialogue about mental illness is the best way to deal with it, but she doesn’t want people to think that they can only be happy if they overcome their mental illnesses: she wants them to know that they can live a full and happy life in spite of one.

The singer advocates for getting help and getting educated. So if you are struggling or you just want to help, maybe now is the time to join the discussion.