|
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Depression: What you should know
By Henrylito D. Tacio
LIVINGSTON, Montana -- What do the following people have in common: Ludwig van Beethoven, Vincent van Gogh, Winston Churchill, Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, John Keats, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Virginia Woolf, and Boris Yeltsin?
They're some of the world's famous people with depression.
Many people, particularly artists, suffer from depression, as well as anxiety and other mental illnesses. "The pain of grief and the lingering sadness you feel after the loss of someone you love are part of the human package," explains Dr. Paul Wender, a distinguished professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City. "So are personal disasters like losing a job."
Celebrated author Pat Conroy has never written about his brother Tom's suicide. Eight years after Tom's tragic death, Pat finds that the subject continues to stir feelings of guilt and pain. However, his commitment to bringing depression and related illnesses out of the shadows compels him to talk about his youngest sibling during the Third Annual Pat Conroy Lecture at Charleston Music Hall recently.
"There are very few people who have not been touched by mental illness. I have been staggered (by the numbers). It hits the poorest. It hits the richest," says Conroy, who serves on the board of The Ballenger Fund, which aims to alleviate the silent suffering that often accompanies depression.
During his lecture, Conroy says he considers his brother's death as "the single most devastating event that ever happened" in his family. He says it was particularly difficult for his father, and that he does not expect to get over it himself. However, he says he is learning to live with it.
Not everyone who is depressed or manic experiences every symptom. Some people experience a few symptoms and some many symptoms. The severity of symptoms also varies with individuals. Among the symptoms of depression are: persistently sad, anxious, or "empty" mood; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness and helplessness; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex; insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping; decreased appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain; and fatigue, decreased energy, being "slowed down."
Other signs include thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts; restlessness, irritability; having difficulty in concentrating, remembering, and making decisions; and persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain.
"We know it's a chemical problem," says philanthropist Esther Ferguson, who sponsored the Pat Conroy Lecture. Ferguson's mother, aunt and grand-uncle suffered from depression and committed suicide. That and her own depression prompted her interest in the field of mental illness and the sometimes-related field of substance abuse.
Depression, however, can be beaten. If your depression springs from a sense of wrongdoing, beating yourself up over it won't help. Instead, put guilt in perspective, suggests Heather Andersen, of the University of Washington in Seattle. "It's important to take some kind of action," she says. "Guilt actually deals with the mistake, but toxic guilt or shame says I am the mistake."
Put down your morning picker-upper, says Dr. Larry Christensen, a psychologist at Texas A & M University. "That sweetened cup of coffee may pack a double depressant," he says. "Sugar and caffeine can be tremendous contributors to depression."
A low period is a good time to forgo alcohol, according to Dr. David Dunner, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington. "Despite its short-term numbing effects on your feelings, alcohol is a potent depressant," he says.
Dr. Dunner also suggests to go easy on yourself. "Don't make major decisions when you're depressed," he says. Changing jobs or getting married ought to be seriously considered only after the depression has lifted.
Quit smoking. This is one habit linked to depression, but if you're deep in the blues, you'll need more help to quit. "You may need to seek professional help," says Dr. Naomi Breslau, of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "It takes many tries, so don't give up."
Exercise that blues away. "Many people find that exercise has an antidepressant effect," says Dr. Ellen Leinbenluft, a psychiatrist from the Bethesda, Maryland. Exercise regularly, within the bounds of what's okay for you.
Tried everything and still buried in the blues? When depression just won't budge, there are still more sources of relief. Consult your doctor, which can help you decide which of the approaches below may work best for you:
1. Review the medications you're taking. Certain prescriptions, including blood pressure medications, antihistamines and steroids prescribed for asthma, can trigger depression. Talk to your doctor about possible effects of your prescription medications.
2. Consider counseling. A trusted therapist can offer tremendous insight into your problem. Interpersonal therapists focus on the disturbed relationships that can cause or intensify your depression. Cognitive or behavioral therapists can help you change the negative styles of thinking and behaving that often accompany the blues.
3. Change your chemistry. Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant medication. In the United States, antidepressants have a proven track record and are not habit-forming. Two traditional types are tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
4. Bolster your Bs. New research suggests that increased levels of the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin and B6 may make trycyclic antidepressants work better in elderly people. But as with all medications, take vitamins only in consultation with your doctor. Vitamin B6 can be toxic when taken in high amounts.
(November 29, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
