DEPRESSION

Feeling sad or low from time to time is a part of life.

Feelings of discouragement and frustration are normal reactions to loss or disappointments.

Normal sadness is usually mild and related to a life situation. A low mood or feelings of depression may cause poor sleep, not wanting to be with friends or family and not feeling hungry or eating too much.

A low mood generally will go away in a few days or a couple of weeks, especially if there is an improvement in the situation that started it. However, a persistent low mood could indicate the presence of depression.

Depression is treatable

The consequences of untreated depression can be serious. They include:

• Poor school performance

• Employment difficulties

• Loss of friends and family supports

• Substance abuse

• High risk for suicide

What to look for

Very often, the signs of depression are ignored, minimized or mistakenly seen as a typical part of growing up. A person experiencing depression may also put on a “smiling face” that fools others into thinking nothing is wrong.

Have any of these symptoms been bothering you in the last two weeks AND been interfering with your performance and enjoyment in a range of life areas?

Change in how you think and feel:

• Persistent feelings of unhappiness.

• Dark and gloomy themes, thoughts of death or suicide.

• Feeling numb or empty.

• Feeling bad, thinking that you are worthless or guilty, or being self-critical and self-blaming.

• Trouble concentrating or making decisions.

• Loss of motivation, or feeling anxious or uptight.

• Loss of interest or pleasure in one’s activities.

Change in how you act and behave:

• Unusual weeping or continual despairing sadness.

• A decline in performance at school or work.

• Disruptive or aggressive behaviors or withdrawal from friends and activities.

• Uncharacteristic moodiness and irritability with family and friends.

• Difficulty sleeping or staying in bed all day long.

• Big changes in weight or appetite.

• Ongoing tiredness and lack of energy

. Depression and substance Abuse

We all use substances, many of which affect our mood. It is common for young people experiencing depressive symptoms to self-medicate with the use of drugs or alcohol.

The person may not be aware that depression is present but recognize that they feel better in the short term when they use a substance.

• Alcohol can increase the level of depressive symptoms.

• Drugs like cocaine can change the body’s ability to release dopamine effectively and depression can result.

• Depressive symptoms are common when people are in withdrawal from substance use.

• Symptoms can occur when a person stops using drugs or alcohol completely.

• Depending on the substance use history and the persons stress level, symptoms of depression are usually experienced during the post-acute withdrawal period.

It is usually important to Contact a specialist  when you experiences the above symptoms.

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