DEPRESSION: Understanding it and getting help

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DEPRESSION Understanding it and getting help

• General Information
• How to recognize Depression
• Treatment Options
• Special Populations

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Who suffers from Depression?

• Depression can effect anyone but there is a
  significantly higher rate of depression among
  women than men.
• 17 million Americans develop depression each
  year.
• 8.6 of adults over 18 have a mental health
  problem for at least 2 weeks a year.

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Who suffers from depression?

• 2 of Children get depressed
• 6-8 of Teenagers
• 1999 survey- reported that1 of every 10 American
  high school students reported making a suicide
  attempt the year before.
• Teenage boys are more likely than girls to kill
  themselves.
• Look for a change in behavior or performance in
  school

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What is Depression?

• Depression is an illness that involves the body,
  mood and thoughts
• It impacts the way a person functions socially,
  at work, and in relationships.
• It is more than feeling blue, down in the dumps
  or sad about a particular issue or situation.
• It is a medical condition that requires diagnosis
  and treatment

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What Depression is NOT

• It is not something to be ashamed of.
• It is NOT a character flaw or sign of weakness.
• No one with depression can just Snap Out of
  It.
• You cant Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

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What Depression IS

• TREATABLE
• No matter what the cause of a persons depression,
  there is treatment and it is widely available!!

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Causes of Depression

• Depression can be caused by one or more of the
  following
• Imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain
• Triggered by stress, medication or other medical
  problems
• Certain personality factors or genetic traits

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Symptoms of Depression

• FIVE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FOR AT LEAST TWO
  WEEKS
• Feelings of sadness, depressed mood and/or
  irritability
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
• Changes in weight or appetite
• Changes in sleep pattern-not enough or too much

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Symptoms of Depression

• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness
• Inability to concentrate, remember things or make
  decisions
• Constant fatigue or loss of energy
• Restlessness or decreased activity
• Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death

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Treatment for Depression

• Approximately 80 of people who receive treatment
  for Depression improve.
• There are three types of treatment
• Psychotherapy
• Medication
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

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Psychotherapy What is it?

• Psychotherapy is a form of talking therapy that
  works by helping a person gain an understanding
  or insight into their problems and work on
  solving them.
• Behavioral psychotherapy is a type of therapy
  that looks at patterns of behavior that may
  contribute to depression.

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Medication for Depression

• Antidepressant Medication helps by affecting the
  brain chemistry.
• Often take 3-5 weeks to become fully effective,
  but improvement is often experienced within the
  first week.
• Work well and are safe
• They are Non-habit forming!

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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

• ECT is safer than medications for many
• Faster acting than most medications
• Can be done on an Out Patient basis
• Can be used in combination with medication
• Is used in life threatening situations to achieve
  fast relief
• Can be a one time course or can be used as
  maintenance therapy for those who remain
  medication resistant

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ECT How is it done?

• ECT is a painless procedure
• A person is put to sleep with general anesthesia
• Muscle relaxers are used to prevent any injury
  from the procedure
• Oxygen is given by mask during ECT
• The whole treatment takes 5 minutes
• You are awake, up walking and eating breakfast
  with one hour. Home within two!

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Depression in women

• Women are at a much greater increased risk of
  Depression
• At times of hormone swings-premenstrual
• 3-8 of women have Premenstrual Dysphoric
  Disorder during reproductive years
• Postpartum period
• 15-20 of women have depression after delivery
• Menopause
• Going into puberty
• Following a miscarriage (within one month)

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Postpartum Depression

• 15 of women report depression within three
  months of delivery
• Women with a prior history of depression are at
  greater risk
• Postpartum blues or baby blues is normal
• mild feeling of being down, tearful
• lasts for only a day or so

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Postpartum Psychosis

• A complication of either a Postpartum Depression
  or Bipolar disorder that has a sudden onset and
  is a psychiatric emergency
• Characterized by hallucinations or delusional
  beliefs about the infant.
• The infant and mother must be protected and
  treated immediately!
• Increased risk in subsequent pregnancies

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Treatment for Postpartum Depression

• Psychotherapy is very important
• Medication
• Breastfeeding is not contraindicated!

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What should SHE do

• Rest, rest and more rest! Tiredness can lead to
  exhaustion which in turn can cause worsening
  depression
• Resist the temptation for rush around and catch
  up with housework while the baby is asleep.take
  a nap yourself!
• Eat regularly..gentle exercisetalk about your
  worries
• Avoid major stresses at this time
• Dont be too hard on yourself

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What should She do Cont.

• GET TREATMENT!!!!!!!
• Medications and psychotherapy
• Do not be discouragedevery woman who suffers
  from postnatal illness
  DOES RECOVER IN TIME!!

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What can HE do?

• BE PATIENT!
• Dont try to reasondepression defies logic.
• Let her express her true feelings and treat them
  with sympathy
• Dont force her to do anything she isnt ready
  for
• Try to go out as a couple without the children.
• Dont ignore your own feelings- Ask for help too!

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What can a loved one do for someone who is
depressed?

• Listen and provide support
• Be patient, understanding and encouraging
• Dont dismiss the symptoms but you can offer hope
• Try to understand the negative feelings the
  person may be feeling
• Remember that depression is a medical condition

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What you can do Continued

• Take care of the little things
• Remind your loved one to keep doctors
  appointments and to take their medication!
• Help to support healthy habits good sleeping
  habits, eating well, trying to get exercise
• Urge your loved one to postpone major life
  decisions such as changing jobs, divorce,
  marriage or moving until his or her depression is
  better

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What you can do Continued

• Suicide threats are to be taken seriously!
• Take care of your self
• Remember
• Depression is a very treatable illness, and you
  or your loved one can get better with appropriate
  medical treatment and support!

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Other special populations

• Elderly- Our Senior Citizens!
• Increased feelings of isolation support
• Medically Ill- Depression is often either a
  symptom or as a result of a serious or chronic
  medical problem
• treatment improves quality of life!
• Those persons with Addictions-
• If the depression is treated, the addiction can
  be treated also.

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Where to get help?

• If it is an EMERGENCY.go to your nearest
  Emergency Room
• If it is Urgent
• Psych Urgent Care at UMMS 328-1219
• If it can be a regularly scheduled appointment
• Call 410-328-6231- Community Mental Health
  Programs