Identifying Depression: What To Do If A Loved One Is Suffering - By Michelle Rabin, Ph.D

Depression can take on many faces depending upon the person, their age, and their gender. Overall, the best thing to be aware of is a significant change in activity or behavior.

Depression In Teens

Depression in teenagers can be difficult to identify, as their mood cycles are traditionally erratic. In general, females tend to suffer from depression more than males, but don’t overlook a young male whose behavior has changed. Again, the things to look out for are marked changes in behavior. If the teen tends to be social and there’s been a significant reduction in their social activities, than that might be an indication that he or she is depressed. Is the phone ringing a lot less? Have they become more withdrawn from the family? Are they sleeping excessively but still seeming to be tired a lot? It’s also not unusual for them to be especially irritable and cranky. Tearfulness is yet another sign. Grades in school often decline as the teen becomes more distracted and less attentive.

Drug use is also a concern for teens that are depressed—as it is for anyone suffering from this problem—because people often medicate their depression with alcohol and /or drugs to try to feel better.

Depression in Adults

Adults tend to hide their depression a little better than kids. They’ve learned how to put a mask on and act as if everything is fine, even when it is not. Appetite is often a strong indicator. The loss of appetite is most common, however there are those who sooth themselves with food so, in that case, you would expect to see a weight gain. Sexual appetite is another variable that is often identified. Depression puts a damper on sexual desire. Essentially when a person stops doing those activities that they used to enjoy, there’s a good chance that depression can be a factor.

Depression In The Elderly

The elderly suffer from depression a lot more than is reported. The older generation still feels a lot of shame and embarrassment about mental illnesses. The harsh reality of the elderly is that their friends are dying on a regular basis. These losses bring up many different feelings, ranging from loneliness and loss to the realization that their time is also limited. Withdrawal is a common sign, as well as weight loss, fatigue and irritability. It is critical to have the elderly evaluated by a competent gerontologist (a doctor who specializes in the older population) to rule out worrisome medical concerns.

Discussing Suicide

When a family member is discovered to be depressed, there is often a reluctance to be direct and straight forward with them. Often people think what if I ask the person if they feel like they want to end their life, and I’ve gotten them thinking about suicide when they hadn’t previously considered it? That will never happen. If a person is severely depressed, they will most likely have given some thought to ending their life. Vague, passing thoughts about suicide are normal for everyone at one time or another. What you need to be worried about is if a person has actually constructed a plan to end their life. Another phenomenon to watch out for is if someone who had been previously very depressed suddenly seems to be fine— happy even—and starts giving their possessions away. Do not be fooled into thinking that this person has made a spontaneous recovery.

So, if someone takes a sudden turn for the better and starts giving things away, or if someone talks to you about having a specific plan to end their life, you MUST take action. These are definitely cases of it being better to err on the side of caution. Let the person know that you are concerned about them, and ask that they speak with a mental health professional. You might offer to get an appointment for them and then take them to the appointment. If they refuse treatment, it is essential that you contact a mental health professional and seek their advice. You can search the internet, the phone book, or call information to get the number for your community mental health center. Most community mental health centers have an emergency clinician on call 24 hours a day to assist in such an emergency. Do not leave the person alone until they’ve been evaluated and it has been determined that they’re able to be left without supervision. People often feel concerned about upsetting the person by pushing for evaluation or treatment. The most important thing here is to prevent a suicide. Even if the person is initially angry, once their depression lifts they will be forever grateful that you intervened on their behalf. Depression is a life threatening illness. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Imagine this….a person feels so miserable that they decide they can’t take feeling this badly for another minute. But the good news is that the vast majority of people suffering from depression will recover and continue to have normal lives. I’ve occasionally had to make deals with my patients. I’ve suggested that they give me 3-6 months to help them feel good again. If I’m unable to help them change their perspective and feel better, then I’ll consider the possibility that suicide is the only remaining option for them. In all of my 25 years of seeing patients, it’s never come to that. Although not everyone has achieved perfect “normalcy” within that time period, the vast majority of people experience a considerable enough improvement to warrant wanting to continue their life.

Don’t be afraid to talk about depression. Don’t be afraid of tears. There is help available for everyone. Most community mental health centers receive state and federal funds so they have the opportunity to provide treatment and no or low cost. Everyone today can find some kind of treatment if they need it.

Dr. Michelle Rabin is a clinial psychologist with 25 years of experience treating depression. More information and depression resources can be found at http://www.depression-symptoms-treatment.com/tagt/depression-treatment-ax.html

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Andropause and Depression - By Cathy Taylor

Andropause correlates directly with depression – a major player in the notorious mid-life crisis period men face in their late 40´s to late 50´s. There are a wide variety of symptoms and conditions hormone-wrecked men experience during this mid-life transition – everything from the mental (i.e. irritability) to the physical (loss of libido, lack of energy, and weight gain.) Depression, left untreated, can be a disabling condition.

Andropause depression is due to dropping levels of testosterone. Low testosterone levels cause many depressive symptoms – among them, a general indifference to events surrounding you, the inability to concentrate, extreme irritability, and memory loss. We might stress over things that might otherwise be worry-free in a normal situation and brood over certain matters. Our memory might go down the drain and we begin to see our lives in a negative light.

Energy levels plummet and enthusiasm for the activities we used to enjoy become flat-lined. Insomnia and restlessness is also a common symptom. Normal everyday things might become a burden to us, and the simplest shout of a child can make us excessively irritable. Psychologists use a variety of battery tests to figure out whether you suffer from depression. Besides handing you test sheets to work with, they also place you under observation – noticing your behavior, tendencies, and habits while talking to them.

Men tend to be rebellious creatures by nature. We love shrugging off our faults and being poised in the midst of emotional trouble. We take on the role as masculine creatures – lion kings of the jungle that reign over the sprawling landscape we call life. Men can be in full denial when it comes to questions about their sexual ability and prowess. Refusing to understand that we aren’t who we once were with our sexual performance as a result of Andropause is in our blood. Fellas, it is time to become aware and acquainted with the severity of your depression.

Off the bat, there are facts and figures supporting depression as a major problem. For one, 80% of all suicides in the United States are carried out by men. The majority of people with this condition never seek the advice and counsel of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Probably the most shocking fact of all is the male suicide rate is highest during the Andropause years. You read correctly – highest during the years we’re specifically talking about.

How do we deal with these devastating changes to our lives? How can we manage stress to reduce the chances of clinical depression? For one, we must follow a daily exercise regimen. That coupled with a caffeine-free diet will boost our immune systems to fight disease. It will also slow down the aging process. Aim to maintain that explosive 30-inch, vertical leap well into your 60s! Another is doing the activities we love. Don’t stray from playing your pick-up basketball games with buddies or building those go-carts from scratch as a hobby. Stick to them and enjoy the satisfaction of doing so. Distract yourself from your current condition without ignoring it completely.

Maintain a social network of friends and family that will cheer you up when you need it most. Something as simple as having your young child shove a hand drawing of a red school bus in your face can provide for laughs and smiles. The most important piece of advice is to accept your condition and make accommodations. For example, low testosterone levels can easily be supplemented with testosterone cream. It’s bound to happen to all of us, and you either have the choice of making the best of it or letting it overwhelm you. Awareness is critical, and an optimistic attitude, followed with physical activity and a solid nutritional plan, is the best means of fighting Andropause, anti-aging, and the demon known as depression.

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.everythingmenopause.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/