Depression is an illness, there is no doubt
about it.
"Clinical depression is an emotional,
physical and cognitive (thinking) state that is intense and long-lasting and has
more negative effects on an individual’s day-to-day life."
Source: APS website
What are the symptoms of depression?
Depression is a
whole basket of symptoms, some that seem unrelated, and may be to do
with your thinking, your behaviour, and your emotions or
feelings.
The following symptoms must be read in conjunction
with other symptoms and are not stand alone factors.
For a
depressive disorder to be diagnosed, there is usually a combination of 7
to 9 symptoms associated with other factors which include the severity of the symptoms and the period
of time in which you have experienced the symptoms.
Diagnosis
should be made by a psychologist or health professional such as a
doctor, psychiatrist, mental health worker or social worker trained in
mental health.
Depression symptoms may include:
Crying episodes or inability to cry even though
you want to
Feeling sad
Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty making decisions
Loss of pleasure or interest where it was formerly
experienced (anhedonia)
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Weight gain
Frustrated easily
Loss of sex drive
Increased anger
Irritability
Sleep problems
Memory problems
Thoughts of suicide
Withdrawal from others
Work difficulties
Social difficulties
Low energy / fatigue
Feeling guilty
Feeling worthless
Cannot see a future for yourself
Brain facts on being depressed
1. The
average adult brain weighs 1300 to 1400 grams and is comprised of the
following:
Intracranial
contents by volume (1,700 ml, 100%): brain = 1,400 ml (80%); blood = 150
ml (10%); cerebrospinal fluid = 150 ml (10%) (from Rengachary, S.S. and
Ellenbogen, R.G., editors, Principles of Neurosurgery, Edinburgh:
Elsevier Mosby, 2005)
The length of
myelinated nerve fibers in brain = 150,000-180,000 km (Pakkenberg et
al., 1997; 2003) Who would think it?
2. Your
left side of your brain controls the right side of the body, and vice
versa. The difference in the number of neurons in the right and left
hemispheres = 186 million MORE neurons on left side than right side (Pakkenberg
et al., 1997; 2003).
3. Your
left side of the brain is in charge of rational, analytical thinking - a
bit like a computer, and the right side of your brain is the emotional
component, the creative and softer stuff.
4. Your
brain has 2 lobes, and within those lobes are various components that
direct speech, hearing, vision, taste, smell and feeling. The part
that connects in the middle of the two lobes, is where information
crosses over, and is called the corpus callosum. a bit like a
railway crossing that bisects the road on either side.
5. Your
brain has a blood supply and the brain has millions of nerve cells,
called neurons (approximately 100 billion!), that communicate with each
other along a nervous system which is called a neural network.
6.
Vitamins and Minerals (found in your food) activate electrical charges
or transmitters and in turn, create substances that either improve your
brain's mental/emotional function and stability, or these same
substances can hinder your brain. Right down to the last molecule,
we need everything in balance including those transmitters.
7.
Neurons (5) carry the electrical transmitters called neurotransmitters.
There are quite a few different types of neurotransmitters which release
molecules such as serotonin "pronounced Sara tone in",
dopamine "dope a mean", norepinephrine "naw ep (Like in
Step) e nef frean" and Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA).
8. Your
brain sends these neurotransmitters along the pathways of the neural
network.
9. Just
like the electricity that comes via the wires in the wall, these
neurotransmitters carry positive and negative impulses or charges
via molecules. (These impulses are not the same as a sudden
impulsive shopping spree!) Molecules could be imagined as a tiny
balloon carrying chemicals to drop off in certain spots. Look out,
here comes the love bomb!
10.
Sometimes when these neurotransmitters release their molecules, it
doesn't always get absorbed (called uptake) by the areas that need it,
so then the brain tries to take it back again. This is called
re-uptake.
11. And
science has come to the rescue and found that some substances will
prevent or inhibit the re-uptake, which means that those
neurotransmitters can eventually be used again. Neat, huh!
No waste in the body or the brain!
12.
When we have too much or too little of those important
neurotransmitters, then our brain responds with anxiety, depression,
stress or other more severe mental health disorders. Medicine
includes SSRI's for depression and SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin
Reuptake Inhibitors.
What can you
do if you are depressed?
Remember,
without those all important neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin,
norepinephrine and GABA) your mind cannot enjoy happy mental health so
your depression will be harder to treat if you don't do something about
what you eat, drink and physically do for yourself to feel happy.
So, what can
you do to encourage natural production of these chemicals to ease your
depression?
1. Eat
regularly and be sure to include high protein food such as meat, fish,
chicken, eggs, nuts, soybeans and chickpeas.
2.
Drink plenty of water - 2 to 3 litres per day for adults.
3. One
to two caffeinated drinks (250ml size) per day. New research now
says that caffeine may assist in interrupting and hopefully preventing
Alzheimer's disease. Of course, that now makes caffeine equivalent
to medicine and all medicine should be taken wisely and don't overdose
on it!
4. Eat
5 to 7 serves of vegetables and 2 to 4 fruits per day.
5.
Laugh - with great big belly laughs every day. Get the lungs, the
heart and your body moving.
6. Run,
jump, play, sing, dance, exercise!
7.
Meditate. When you meditate you reduce your stress levels.
Want to know the biggest cause of aging.... Yep, stress. So look
younger and feel better too. Self-hypnosis
is also a form of meditation.
8.
Control your thinking - yes, you can guide and advise and discipline
yourself. Novel idea it may be, and you can do it. Change
thoughts from negative images and feel and words to positive words, tone
and feel and images. You'll
improve your optimism and happiness.
9. Be
grateful for what you have. We are so fortunate here in Australia that we
forget what life is like for those who don't have food, clean water to
drink or bathe in, or a toilet to use, or shelter to protect them.
10.
Above all, love yourself first. This means taking care of you.
Would you let your child get away with what you get away with? If
the answer is NO, then take good care of you and be firm with yourself.
11.
Make an appointment to see Narelle Stratford, Psychologist
from Live Life 2 The Max! in West End, Brisbane.
