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Depression Print

Recognizing Depression
Feeling down is a common experience and can be triggered by conflict, work pressure, or family problems. Clinical depression however, involves more than sadness and can lead to a significant illness. Depression may develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetic makeup, brain chemistry, environmental and biological factors, stress and poor diet, personality and life events. Depression can mimic physical illnesses, cause fatigue, muscle tension, sweating, nausea, cold hands, difficulty swallowing, jumpiness, gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea and other physical symptoms. You are not alone; depression is highly treatable so reach out for help!

Symptoms:

  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Changes in appetite or weight gain or weight loss
  • Increased sensitivity to aches and pains
  • Lack of ability to control emotions/excessive crying
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Lack of energy
  • Slowed thinking, poor concentration/memory
  • Lack of capacity to enjoy pleasure or interests
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Out of touch with reality

Physical effects of an illness can make direct changes to the body’s chemistry and functioning in a way that can lead to depression. This can be contributed to by the aging process itself as the brain’s capacity to solve and store facts reduces, while certain neurotransmitters which influence our moods can be disrupted. Depression is commonly not diagnosed and under-treated.

Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs can provide relief by working with the existing neurotransmitters but does not alter the overall neurotransmitter supply as they fail to bring levels back into proper balance, therefore, their effectiveness is limited.

 

GETTING HELP
Let us help you to understand your illness.