Living Well - Winter 2016 - Beaufort - 39

DEPRESSION
DICTIONARY
TRUE OR FALSE:

TRUE OR FALSE:

TRUE. This may be related to biological factors, such as hormonal
changes associated with pregnancy,
motherhood and menopause. It may
also be related to the cultural and social
pressures put on women. For Winston,
how men and women deal with the illness makes a difference. Women are
more likely to talk about and accept the
fact that they're depressed, she says,
while men may mask depression with
drinking or other substances.

FALSE. Depression is a highly treatable condition, Winston says, provided
the person gets help. "Hopelessness
in depression is a feeling, not a fact,"
Winston says. "And people who feel
hopeless when they're depressed, they
believe they're in a hopeless situation.
But it's actually just a feeling, and
there's nothing hopeless whatsoever
about depression."

More women than men are
diagnosed with depression.

TRUE OR FALSE:

Depression can be fatal.

TRUE. Left untreated, the feelings
of hopelessness, sadness and guilt can
overwhelm a person to the point where
they don't want to live any longer. In that
case, sufferers should seek immediate
medical help. Worldwide, more than
800,000 people die because of suicide
every year, and it is the second-leading
cause of death in people ages 15 to 29.

Depression has no real treatment. Depressed people will
always be depressed.

TRUE OR FALSE:

Treating depression
is as simple as taking an
antidepressant.

FALSE. "The number of people who
just take a medication and are fixed is
relatively small," Winston says. Many
more people need a combination of
therapy and medication. And it can take
some time to figure out the right type
of medication-or combination of
medications-to feel well. n

CALL

Finding Help
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (adaa.org)
has tools to find a therapist, support groups and other resources. If
you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

This mental illness can manifest
itself in diverse ways. "The diagnosis is based on the intensity
and duration of the depression,"
says licensed professional counselor Richard Archer of Sea Island
Psychiatry. Categories include:
Major depression: (also called
clinical depression): The person
suffers from symptoms most of
the day, nearly every day.
Adjustment disorder: Any life
change-retirement, going away
to school, illness-can cause this
stress-related mental illness.
Persistent depressive disorder:
This is a chronic depression that
lasts at least two years, though
symptoms may be less severe than
in major depression.
Postpartum depression: Some
women feel extreme sadness and
anxiety after giving birth. "A role
change adjustment can cause men
to suffer postpartum depression,
too," Archer says.
Seasonal affective disorder:
Some people feel depressive
symptoms in the winter, when
there is less natural sunlight.
Bipolar disorder: This condition is different from depression, but someone with bipolar
disorder experiences low moods
like depression, coupled with
extreme highs.

W INT E R 2016

39
http://www.adaa.org
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