Aug 06 2008
Details on Depression
Details on Depression
By Bill Belcher
Depression can be defined as a serious medical illness that impacts millions of people in the United States in any given year, with reports of 3 to 5 percent of the population experiencing depression at any given time. The lifetime risk for depression is higher – 10 to 25 percent for women and 5 to 12 percent for men. Depression manifests itself in a variety of ways; some people exhibit agitation while others lack of energy and discouragement. Sometimes it can be difficult to discern if you are depressed during these chaotic and changing times. The average age of onset for depression is in the mid-20s but children can and in fact do experience symptoms of depression as young as five or six years of age.
Depression is marked by at least two weeks or more of a sad, anxious, or despondent mood and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed along with five or more of the following symptoms during the same two week period:
Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilt
Difficulty with concentration
A change in sleep habits
A change in appetite and weight
Feeling tired and run down
Feeling agitated
Feeling restless
Feeling irritable
Thoughts of death or suicide
Moreover, if you are depressed the aforementioned symptoms may either cause major distress and impairment in your social, career, and other critical areas of functioning. At the minimum, an increased effort is required by you to perform duties that were once effortless and routine.
The typical treatment for a clinical diagnosis of depression is daily exercise and weekly cognitive-behavioral therapy with a counselor with whom you feel comfortable. This promotes insight about your depression, a change in your thinking, and an increase in your physical activity. If this regimen isn’t entirely effective, use of an antidepressant medication is generally the next course of action.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms as described, please contact a mental health provider in your community. If you need help locating a provider in your area or want to actually view someone dealing with depression in a session, then click on: http://www.thevideocounselor.com
Bill Belcher is a licensed clinical mental health counselor with a master’s degree in psychology and is currently pursuing his doctorate after twenty years of experience in the field of counseling. He resides in New England and works with adolescence, adults, and elders on issues of anger, anxiety, depression, grief, healthy lifestyles, loneliness, pain management, trauma, and weight issues. He has experience facilitating batterer intervention groups as well as working with the victims of domestic violence.
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