Everyday Is The Same Depression

Whats The Difference Between Grief And Depression

Given that the primary symptom associated with depression is sadness, it can be easy to think of grief or bereavement as depression. But grief is a natural response to specific experiences, such as the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. While you might feel regret or remorse, and you might withdraw from usual activities if you are experiencing grief, youre unlikely to feel the overwhelming sense of worthlessness, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and other symptoms of depression. Another important difference is that in grief, painful feelings usually come in waves and are often mixed with positive memories.

American Family Physician

Information For Family Carers And Friends

You can get support if you are a carer, friend or family member of someone living with depression.

Being a carer might mean you can claim certain benefits that might help you and the person you care for. For more information, please see the Mental Health and Money Advice services website:www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/what-benefits-are-available-for-mental-health-carers/

You could also get in touch with carer support groups or sibling support groups. You can search for local groups in your area online or ask your GP.

You can ask your local authority for a carers assessment if you need more practical support to help care for someone.

As a carer you should be involved in decisions about care planning. There are rules about information sharing and confidentiality which may make it difficult for you to get all the information you need in some circumstances.

You can find out more information about:

• Carers assessments by clicking here.
• Confidentiality and information sharing by clicking here.

How can I support the person that I care for?

You might find it easier to support someone with depression if you understand their symptoms, treatment and self-management skills. You can use this to support them to get help and stay well.

Below are some initial suggestions for providing practical day to day support to someone with depression.

You can find out more information about:

You can find more information about:

Website: www.web.ntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp/

Is This Depression Or Anxiety

Everybody goes through times of fear, worry and sadness . But when those negative emotions are so intense that it feels youre no longer in control of them, we could call it distress.

Distress can include a huge range of negative feelings. Everyones experience is unique and personal to them.

If the main problem is feeling down and miserable, or that there is no interest or pleasure in things, we call it depression. If the main problem is having times of panic, or always being on edge and worrying, we call it anxiety. Its quite common to experience a bit of both.

Whether you call it distress, depression, or anxiety, it doesnt matter. What matters is that you understand whats happening, and know what you can do to feel better.

How common is it?*

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What Is Samhsa’s National Helpline

SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

Isolating Yourself At Work

Nobody wants to chat with coworkers when they’re feeling down. And yet, avoiding saying “hey” isn’t a great idea. “Relationships, even if they are limited to the workplace, help nourish and balance you and ward off negative cognitions of feeling not good enough and unlikable,” Milrad says. So go ahead and wander into that break room.

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Difficulty Experiencing Joy Or Connection

When were depressed, it can take all of the enjoyment out of the things we love and make it more difficult for us to connect to those closest to us. We may begin to lose interest in hobbies, friendships, schoolwork, social activities, sex or life in general. When this happens, we may find ourselves feeling isolated from friends, family members or others who care about us.

When To Seek Professional Help

Any level of depression should be taken seriously and the faster you address the symptoms, the less likely you are to develop a more severe type of depression. Seeking professional help is a sign of bravery and self-respect because it shows that you are dedicated to caring for your mind and body. A therapist can offer more clinical advice and guide you through treatment with approaches that are more tailored to your specific situation and needs. However, if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, tell someone you trust and seek assistance immediately.

Everyone experiences low points in their life and their mental health, but depression is a treatable mental illness and you can recover. Whether you or a loved one is feeling depressed, every persons experience with mental illness is different but help is available. Visit our Key Services page to learn more about the treatment methods we offer and to explore our list of additional health and wellness classes to support your overall mental health.

If you are in a crisis, please call us at 303-425-0300 or by calling the crisis line at 844-493-8255. The 24/7 crisis walk-in center and withdrawal management program is open at 4643 Wadsworth Blvd, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

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How Do I Know If Im Sad Or Depressed

If youre sad because you lost your job, are going through a breakup, or lost someone in your life its certainly no fun, but its also pretty normal. Sadness, even extreme sadness, is a natural reaction to events like these. That said, regular sadness can also turn into depression. If the feelings dont get better over time, or if your mood starts to get in the way of your daily life, you might be developing a case of depression.

Physical changes can also affect your mood. Some examples include hormone changes due to puberty or menopause, or certain medical treatments or conditions. If you think you might be depressed, its a good idea to have a doctor review any medications youre taking and test your thyroid and other hormone levels.

If you still arent sure why youre feeling down, or if mental illness of any kind runs in your family, theres a decent chance youre experiencing depression. If you havent already done so, consider taking our free online depression test.

What Are The Symptoms Of Depression And How Is It Diagnosed

The NHS recommends that you should see your GP if you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than 2 weeks.

Doctors make decisions about diagnosis based on manuals. The manual used by NHS doctors is the International Classification of Diseases .

When you see a doctor they will look for the symptoms that are set out in the ICD-10 guidance. You do not have to have all of these to be diagnosed with depression. You might have just experience some of them.

Some symptoms of depression are:

• low mood, feeling sad, irritable or angry,
• having less energy to do certain things,
• losing interest or enjoyment in activities you used to enjoy,
• reduced concentration,

You may also find that with low mood you:

• feel less pleasure from things,
• feel more agitated,
• find your thoughts and movements slow down, and
• have thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Your doctor should also ask about any possible causes of depression. For example, they may want to find out if youve experienced anything traumatic recently which could be making you feel this way.

There are no physical tests for depression. But the doctors may do some tests to check if you have any physical problems. For example, an underactive thyroid can cause depression.

On the NHS website, they have a self-assessment test which can help you to assess whether you are living with depression: www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/clinical-depression/overview/

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Depression In Minority Groups And First Responders

Minority groups tend to experience depression far more than the other part of the population. For example, Hispanic people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and first responders are among some of the highest demographics to have depression. What is it about these particular groups that increase the rate of mental health issues?

Being in the minority can add stress to an individuals life. For Hispanic people that live in the USA, they may not speak the language and may also be far from any family. LGBTQ+ individuals may feel the pressure to adhere to societys sense of normal and can feel alone in the world as they learn who they are. These pressures alone can cause depression to set in. When risk factors come into play, the mental health concerns in these groups can be seen more clearly.

First responders experience trauma as a part of their job. Police, fire, and EMS are on the front lines helping those in need on some of the worst days of their lives. With such experiences, PTSD, depression, and anxiety tend to set in. In fact, first responders are 20% more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Because of the background involved in how these individuals developed depression, their mental health experience is often unlike anyone else.

Daily Routine For Depression: 10 Things To Try

Depression can make just getting out of bed feel impossible some days. But having a daily routine can help.

Sometimes, symptoms of depression can make you feel like youre sinking into a void. And the deeper you sink, the harder it can feel to get out.

This is especially true because depression lies it may tell you that youre alone and unloved, or that youll never escape the feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness youre experiencing.

But heres the truth: Youre not alone.

According to the CDC, nearly 5% of all adults over the age of 18 years experience regular feelings of depression.

And though it can be a challenging condition, it is highly treatable, most commonly through a combination of talk therapy and medication. Whats more, there are things you can do in addition to treatment to help keep depression symptoms at bay.

For example, evidence suggests that creating and sticking to some reliable daily routines may help improve mental health.

After all, if youre committed to doing certain practices every day, you have something that will get you out of bed and moving. And if some of those practices have been proven to help reduce symptoms of depression? Even better!

Here are some things you can try.

2021 study found that having an irregular sleep pattern can also increase a persons risk of depression to the same extent as not getting enough sleep.

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What Risks And Complications Can Depression Cause

Having depression can cause other problems. It can affect your mental health as well as your physical health, and it may affect other areas of your life too. For example, depression may cause:

• disturbed sleep,
• difficulties with work and your hobbies,
• difficulties keeping contact with friends and families, or
• suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harming.

Some people might also drink more alcohol to try and relieve depression. However, as we said in the previous section above, this can actually make depression worse.

If you have any of these problems, speak to your GP.

What If My Symptoms Dont Improve

If youre not responding to treatment, you may live with treatment resistant depression. This is when your symptoms have not improved after at least 2 standard treatments. This can also be known as treatment-refractory depression.

There is currently no official criteria used to diagnose treatment resistant depression.

What treatment is available for treatment-resistant depression?There are treatment options for treatment resistant depression. Even if antidepressants have not worked already for you, your doctor may suggest a different antidepressant from a different class.

The new antidepressant you are offered will depend on the first antidepressant you were given.

Sometimes your doctor can prescribe a second type of medication to go with your antidepressant. This can sometimes help the antidepressant work better than it does by itself.

Where antidepressants have not worked, your doctor may suggest talking therapies, ECT or brain stimulation treatments. See the previous section for more information on these.

What is an implanted vagus nerve stimulator, and how is it used in treatment resistant depression?If you live with treatment resistant depression, and youve not responded to other treatments, you may be able ask for an implanted vagus nerve stimulator.

Please speak to your doctor if youre interested in this treatment and for more information. You may be able to get this treatment funded through an Individual Funding Request.

• NHS – Your Rights by clicking here.

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Depression Is Different From Sadness Or Grief/bereavement

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being depressed.

But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:

• In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest are decreased for most of two weeks.
• In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.
• In grief, thoughts of death may surface when thinking of or fantasizing about joining the deceased loved one. In major depression, thoughts are focused on ending ones life due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living or being unable to cope with the pain of depression.

Grief and depression can co-exist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression co-occur, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression.

Watching The News In The Morning

So many of us are in the habit of flicking on the TV first thing in the morning, usually to catch whatever’s going on in the news. But, as clinical psychologist Dr. Thomas G. Quinlan tells me, that much negativity first thing in the morning can impact your mental health. While it’s obviously a good idea to stay informed, it’s better to wait ’til later in the day to get your updates.

When dealing with anxiety and/or depression, little things can certainly throw you through a loop and make symptoms worse. Knowing what can increase anxiety or exacerbate depression and then making changes can help.

Images: Pexels

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Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

Your Thoughts And Feelings Affect Everything You Do

Not feeling right can cause you to think and act differently and this can affect all aspects of your life, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

When somethings not right you could experience it in different ways. You might get sick or just feel generally run-down. You may feel like youre not your usual self – you dont want to be around anyone when usually you love company. You may cry a lot for no apparent reason or easily lose your temper, or even wonder what your life is all about.

Getting an overall picture of yourself helps to make sense of whats happening in your life, and what can help you feel better. One way to do that is to think about whats happening in different aspects of your life your body , your spirit , your social circle and your mind .

• Physical : Thinking about your tinana means focusing on how you look after and care for your body.
• Mental : Thinking about hinengaro means focusing on emotions and how you communicate, think and feel.
• Social : Thinking about whnau means focusing on the relationships you have with people who support you. Their support might be physical, cultural or emotional.
• Spiritual : Thinking about wairua means focusing on things that give your life meaning. That might mean your religion. It could also mean thinking about your links with the environment , your heritage, and your connections to ancestors .

Know and understand those unseen things that can cause worry, anxiety and fear – Mori proverb.

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How Is Depression Diagnosed

To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must have five depression symptoms every day, nearly all day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities. Children and adolescents may be irritable rather than sad.

If you think you may have depression, talk to your health care provider. Primary care providers routinely diagnose and treat depression and refer individuals to mental health professionals, such as psychologists or psychiatrists.

During the visit, your provider may ask when your symptoms began, how long they last, how often they occur, and if they keep you from going out or doing your usual activities. It may help to make some notes about your symptoms before your visit. Certain medications and some medical conditions, such as viruses or a thyroid disorder, can cause the same depression symptoms. Your provider can rule out these possibilities by doing a physical exam, interview, and lab tests.

Read NIMHs Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider to help prepare for and get the most out of your visit. For additional resources, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website.