Depression is a serious illness. Running the risk of taking high blood pressure's "glory", depression could be considered the silent killer. Clinical depression is not simply being "down" or "n the dumps". Clinical depression is a severe condition that affects a person mind and can ultimately cause a plethora of issues. A popular misconception is that a person should be able to simply "snap out of it". In fact, clinical depression must be fought by appropriate medical treatment or it can have effects that last for months or even years.
Here are a few complications or issues that are common to those who suffer from clinical depression:
1) Alcohol abuse - It's no secret that alcohol abuse leads to a multitude of issues including liver problems, brain damage, neglecting responsibilities and general impaired judgment.
2) Substance abuse - Substance abuse due to any reason is dangerous. However, it is a common path to take for depressed individuals.
3) Anxiety - Anxiety can lead to many issues including difficulty swallowing, breathlessness and chest pains.
4) Heart disease
5) Problems in work environments or school environments.
6) Relationship issues
7) Familial issues.
8) Isolation
9) Suicide
How do you know if you are depressed vs. sad?
First, it is not a simple process for an individual to diagnose himself as being sad vs. depressed. Always consult a physician in regard to ANY medical issue that seems abnormal. You should not base normality on your own life experience as many individuals suffer from depression for years. Assessing your current mental state and comparing that to your mental state 2 years ago may not be enough. You should simply look around you and determine if your coping process seems different than most. Also ask your friends and family. That being said, sadness is reactive. You may be sad because you lost a friend or family member. You may be sad because you lost your job or you may be sad because you received some troubling information. You can actually understand WHY you are sad based on the situation. Depression on the other hand is not necessarily tied to a specific event. You may experience depression out of the blue with no specific issue to tie it to. There could be times that stressful circumstances can trigger the depression and other times that the depression is seemingly there for no apparent reason.
Keep a log:
Keeping a journal may be beneficial to individuals who may be experiencing depression. Start by logging the way you feel when you wake up. Rate it from 1-10. 1 =feeling great and 10 = extremely depressed. Throughout the day, as your mood changes...be sure to log the mood swing and if there are factors that caused that mood swing vs. a mood swing with no apparent cause. Be sure to consult a physician as soon as you determine that there are mood swings without any apparent cause.
The Mayo clinic recommends exercise as an excellent way to ease depression. There are a few reasons cited:
1) Exercising releases feel-good brain chemicals and endorphins that ease depression.
2) Gaining confidence due to goals that have been met.
3) Exercise takes your mind off of issues that you may have.
4) Last but not least it enables you to cope with your issues in a healthy way as opposed to drinking or substance abuse.
Finally, depression is a sickness! You should not consider yourself week or less of a person if you suffer from depression. Alternatively, you should consult a physician and closely follow his or her direction. Many times consulting a psychologist can help significantly and in some extreme cases medications may be prescribed that may also help. If you suffer from depression, know that you are not alone. Know that there is help available. Most importantly, know that turning to alcohol or ignoring the condition will only exacerbate the problem.
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