DEPRESSION
What is depression
Everyone feels low from time to time, but the term depression should describe the condition in which people are permanently depressed to a degree such that they not only have problems in that they feel depressed but the depression interferes with their ability to work, or interact with people or look after themselves. There is a particular type of depression called bi-polar disorder in which the depression alternates with moods of high activity and excitement. This is a disorder of young people which usually gets less severe the longer they live.
What is depression important?
Depression is important because it is one of the main factors affecting quality of life in old age. There are obvious reasons why depression is common, death of a spouse for instance or poverty and isolation, but it should not be regarded as an inevitable part to living longer. Depression is also one of the factors that increase the risk of dementia.
Why is it important to understand depression?
It is important to understand depression because action can be taken bothto prevent it and alleviate it..
Can depression be slowed, reduced or reversed?
Firstly the priority is to prevent depression and although a person’s resilience and ability to cope with adverse events is determined early in life, because it is clear that some people are more resilient than others , it is still possible to reduce the risk of depression, principally by treating any disease that occurs effectively, by preventing isolation and providing support in bereavement
Once depression has started it can be reduced or reversed by a combination of actions taken by the individual, and, perhaps more important, actions taken by friends and family and , when depression is severe, by interventions from the NHS.
What can be done?
The most important thing that individuals and their families can do is to help people feel engaged and involved, preferably with a sense of purpose.
All of these issues become more difficult if the person is physically immobile and unable to get out or suffering from a painful condition, so optimising physical ability is vitally important in preventing, reducing or reversing depression.
What is becoming clear, and it is very well described in Camilla Cavendish’s book called “Extra Time”, is the need for a sense of purpose. It is the sense of purpose that keeps many younger people from being depressed and loss of the purpose, sometimes after retirement, sometimes after disability that causes depression in the later decades. It may seem impossible for someone who is housebound to have a sense of purpose for survival but by linking the person to campaigns and social movements such as Friends of the Earth or the World Wildlife Fund it encourages them to be involved by contributing to that movement, for example by raising money can play an important part in preventing depression. Obviously this means that the individual has to be online and it is important to know that although there are no randomised controlled trials virtual reality appears to be important giving people enjoyment and there are moves to have groups of people who are housebound competing with other groups raising money for a good cause which would again reduce the risk of depression.
The NHS has an important part to play not only by the effective treatment of the causes of isolation and immobility but there are treatments for depression. As always drug treatment is to be avoided if possible so it may be that what is called cognitive therapy is the first step offered by a clinical psychologist.
Although it is sometimes said that people who talk about suicide are not the ones who do it any mention of suicide or ‘ending it all is an indication for urgent referral to the GP
DEPRESSION
What is depression
Everyone feels low from time to time, but the term depression should describe the condition in which people are permanently depressed to a degree such that they not only have problems in that they feel depressed but the depression interferes with their ability to work, or interact with people or look after themselves. There is a particular type of depression called bi-polar disorder in which the depression alternates with moods of high activity and excitement. This is a disorder of young people which usually gets less severe the longer they live.
What is depression important?
Depression is important because it is one of the main factors affecting quality of life in old age. There are obvious reasons why depression is common, death of a spouse for instance or poverty and isolation, but it should not be regarded as an inevitable part to living longer. Depression is also one of the factors that increase the risk of dementia.
Why is it important to understand depression?
It is important to understand depression because action can be taken bothto prevent it and alleviate it..
Can depression be slowed, reduced or reversed?
Firstly the priority is to prevent depression and although a person’s resilience and ability to cope with adverse events is determined early in life, because it is clear that some people are more resilient than others , it is still possible to reduce the risk of depression, principally by treating any disease that occurs effectively, by preventing isolation and providing support in bereavement
Once depression has started it can be reduced or reversed by a combination of actions taken by the individual, and, perhaps more important, actions taken by friends and family and , when depression is severe, by interventions from the NHS.
What can be done?
The most important thing that individuals and their families can do is to help people feel engaged and involved, preferably with a sense of purpose.
All of these issues become more difficult if the person is physically immobile and unable to get out or suffering from a painful condition, so optimising physical ability is vitally important in preventing, reducing or reversing depression.
What is becoming clear, and it is very well described in Camilla Cavendish’s book called “Extra Time”, is the need for a sense of purpose. It is the sense of purpose that keeps many younger people from being depressed and loss of the purpose, sometimes after retirement, sometimes after disability that causes depression in the later decades. It may seem impossible for someone who is housebound to have a sense of purpose for survival but by linking the person to campaigns and social movements such as Friends of the Earth or the World Wildlife Fund it encourages them to be involved by contributing to that movement, for example by raising money can play an important part in preventing depression. Obviously this means that the individual has to be online and it is important to know that although there are no randomised controlled trials virtual reality appears to be important giving people enjoyment and there are moves to have groups of people who are housebound competing with other groups raising money for a good cause which would again reduce the risk of depression.
The NHS has an important part to play not only by the effective treatment of the causes of isolation and immobility but there are treatments for depression. As always drug treatment is to be avoided if possible so it may be that what is called cognitive therapy is the first step offered by a clinical psychologist.
Although it is sometimes said that people who talk about suicide are not the ones who do it any mention of suicide or ‘ending it all is an indication for urgent referral to the GP