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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Dealing with depression
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I suffer from depression.
It’s an after-effect of my stroke. My brain got discombobulated, and the production levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and whatever chemicals help it run efficiently got all messed up.
About two months after my stroke, I finished taking a shower one morning, and I started crying uncontrollably. Sure, I had been through a pretty traumatic experience, and getting back on my feet was tough going. I had good days and bad days, like everyone else. This was different.
There is a phenomenon called “phantom pain.” Someone who’s lost a limb feels a pain that makes the brain think it’s still there. That’s how I felt inside, like someone had put a plug in the bottle of my soul and I had no access to it.
Depression prevents a person from functioning normally, and often co-exists with other serious medical illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, HIV/aids, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. The National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) says that such illnesses may precede depression, cause it, and/or be a consequence of it. Or, the brain may simply not be functioning the way it should. People with depression can feel lousy and despondent just because they think that is how life is supposed to be. They have no other experiences against which to compare.
Alcohol and other substance abuse or dependence may also co-occur with depression. In fact, research has indicated that the co-existence of mood disorders and substance abuse is pervasive among the U.S. population.
There is no single known cause of depression. It’s often a combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. MRIs have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function abnormally. In addition, important neurotransmitters-chemicals that brain cells use to communicate-appear to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred.
Friends and neighbors, I’m not telling you this to generate a pity party. I’m telling you this because depression is a very real and treatable disorder. It’s not a weakness or a failing. You don’t get brownie points for being stronger than everyone else. If someone tells you to “suck it up,” it’s the worst piece of advice - and the most unnecessary - that someone can offer to another person. Get them out of your life. You’d go see a doctor if you had the flu, or chicken pox. The same goes for depression. The earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is and the greater the likelihood that recurrence can be prevented.
I talked to my doctor. The hospital warned me, when I was there, that this might happen. It happens to about 45 percent of stroke survivors. My doctor said that I had generalized anxiety disorder that accompanied the depression. He prescribed medication, and after about six weeks, I noticed a significant change. I’ve had to have my medication tweaked over time, but I feel better now than I have in a very long time. Even after a stroke and the clunker of a body that remained in its wake.
I think to myself, “My God. I never knew this was how life could be.” And then I think about how many people suffer from this illness and don’t know it . They never achieve their potential because they are unaware of the psychological barriers that hold them back. They never fight back because they think they deserve the misery that has befallen them. They take their own lives as a result of this illness.
To help a friend or relative, NIMH suggests the following:
• Offer emotional support, understanding, patience and encouragement. • Engage your friend or relative in conversation, and listen carefully. • Never disparage feelings your friend or relative expresses, but point out realities and offer hope. • Never ignore comments about suicide, and report them to your friend’s or relative’s therapist or doctor. • Invite your friend or relative out for walks, outings and other activities. Keep trying if he or she declines, but don’t push him or her to take on too much too soon. Although diversions and company are needed, too many demands may increase feelings of failure. • Remind your friend or relative that with time and treatment, the depression will lift.
Thanks for listening. We now return you to your regularly scheduled ranting.
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