Depression Affects Everyone

Depression is something that affects us all at varying degrees in our lives. Typically, we become depressed due to some sort of an emotional connection to something. For instance it is not uncommon for someone to become depressed when they experience a breakup with a loved one, a death in the family or an argument or falling out with a friend. Perhaps most commonly nowadays, depression is stemming from people losing their jobs- some of which they've had for years.

So, how do we deal with depression? Some people deal with depression by turning towards drugs and/or alcohol because they feel that it takes the edge off of the emotional or psychological pain that they are feeling. Still, others turn to more bizarre, physical forms of punishment such as cutting themselves or becoming bulimic or anorexic. It is somewhat amazing to see how committed some people are to being depressed. Depression is often compared to a comfortable bed in that it is easy to get into but more difficult to get out of. If you suspect that someone is depressed, don't sit back and do nothing. Instead, do something. Talk to that person about what you suspect might be going on. Other approaches include having an intervention or simply maintaining regular communication with the person.

Often depressed people are only a few steps away from having suicidal tendencies. This is because people who are severely depressed often feel that they have nothing left to live for. They feel as if their life is a total failure and they lack the self confidence that the need to pull themselves out of a slump. There is much controversy over the issue of prescribing medication to treat depressed people because often times, these medications come with side effects which may exacerbate the issue, leading directly to suicide. Additionally, while it may make sense for depressed people to seek help from a psychologist or psychiatrist, they will often fail to do so because it makes them feel worse in that they don't have friends that they can talk to. Additionally, by seeing a doctor for depression, it is also admitting that you have a problem, which is incredibly difficult for a depressed person to do.

While the symptoms of depression are somewhat vague, some signs that a person might be depressed include: lack of sleep, sleeplessness, insomnia, missing work for unexplained reasons, not doing things that he/she used to, quitting things suddenly, not enjoying things that once made him/her happy, mood swings, irritability, restlessness, lack of appetite, increased appetite and reckless behavior. If you are close to someone who you suspect may be depressed, simply look for any unusual patterns in their behavior. Does the person often cry for no apparent reason? Do they seem uncomfortable in the presence of friends? Have they been backing out of plans? You may need to seek assistance from other family members or friends of the person in question in order to figure out the best way to tackle the problem.