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Depression: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Indiana
Depression: A "Whole Body" Illness Depression is a common and costly disease which affects approximately 17.6 million Americans each year and over one million Hoosiers are at lifetime risk. Depression is more than "the blues," it can not be willed or wished away. It is not a sign of personal weakness. It is a flaw in chemistry, not character. This illness affects mood, thought, body, and behavior. Some people may have one episode, where others will have it a lifetime. Some people have what is called "bipolar disorder." They experience cycles of terrible lows and inappropriate highs. These illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering, not only to those who suffer the illness, but their family and friends as well. Depression affects the way a person eats, sleeps, and the way they feel about themselves. Unfortunately, many people do not recognize that they have a treatable illness. Types of Depression Major Depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, eat, sleep, and enjoy normally enjoyable activities. These disabling episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. These are the symptoms that doctors look for when examining their patients for major depression:
Dysthymia is a less severe, but involves long term chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning at "full steam." Some people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes. Symptoms of dysthymia are much like those of major depression, but to a lesser degree. When people with dysthymia suffer episodes of major depression, their symptoms become dramatically more severe for a while, then turn to their usual reduced level. These people are said to have double depression, that is, dysthymia plus major depression. Bipolar Disorder, also called Manic-Depression, involves depression, and elation or mania. During the depressed cycle, individuals experience many of the major depression symptoms. Sometimes the mood swings are rapid, making a person feel really high and then really low within a matter of days, but most often they are gradual. Often it occurs in the late teens or early 20's. During manic phase, some or all of these symptoms may appear:
Further, individuals, when manic, tend to overlook the embarrassing, sometimes harmful, consequence of their behavior. Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior, resulting in unwise business decisions that can cause horrendous debt. In extreme cases, individuals may experience thought disorder, jumping from one idea to another with no apparent connection. This can sometimes lead to the individual experiencing delusions and hallucinations. Causes and Treatments of Depression Some types of depression run in families, indicating that a biological vulnerability can be inherited. This seems to be the case with bipolar illness. Studies of families in which members of each generation develop bipolar disorder found that those with the illness have a somewhat different genetic makeup than those who do not get ill. However the reverse is not true: that is, not everyone with the genetic makeup that causes vulnerability to bipolar disorder has the illness. Apparently additional factors, possibly a stressful environment, are involved in its onset. Major depression also seems to occur, generation after generation, in some families. However, it can occur in people with no family history of the illness as well. Psychological makeup also plays a role in vulnerability to depression. People with low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism or who are readily overwhelmed by stress, are prone to depression. A serious loss, chronic illness, difficult relationship, financial problem, or any other unwelcome change in life patterns can also trigger a depressive episode. Very often, a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors is involved in the onset of a depressive disorder. Treatments can include, antidepressant medications, psychotherapy, and support groups. Any one or a combination of these treatments are used to battle these illnesses. Treatment choice will depend on the severity and type of illness. Electroconvulsive Therapy may be used in extreme cases that are high risk for suicide and do not respond to medication. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Indiana Mission: To educate patients, families, professionals and the public concerning the nature of depressive and manic-depressive illness as a medical disease; to foster self-help for patients and families; to eliminate discrimination and stigma; to improve access to care; and to advocate for research toward the elimination of these illnesses.
Quick Links to other Subsidiaries:Indiana Mental Health and Aging Coalition
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