Depression causes feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems thus decreasing your ability to function at work and home. Depression is a common and serious medical illness. Depression, major depressive disorder, can be mild to moderate to severe.
Symptoms
- Sad or depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in doing things
- Change in appetite – weight loss or gain not related to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or the opposite — being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
These symptoms must last at least two weeks and represent a change in your previous level of functioning. One in 6 people will experience depression at some time in their life. Medical conditions can mimic depression symptoms, such as thyroid, brain tumor, or vitamin deficiency.
Treatment
Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. 80-90% of people with depression respond well to treatment (psychiatry.org). Recommended treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (counseling) and/or medications. The first line medications for depression are the SSRI’s. It takes 2-3 months for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) to reach their full potential. Of the SSRI’s fluoxetine (Prozac) has the least risk of sexual side effects, sleepiness, and weight gain. Sertraline is the first choice for women of child bearing age.
Don’t let depression derail your life by affecting your family or your work life. At Show Low Family Clinic, I am here to help. Call me today at (928) 251-2914. You can visit our website and our Facebook page. Start living your best life possible, adventures await you!