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Our emotions with their ups and downs are a normal part of life. We colour our world green when we are jealous, yellow for happy, red for angry and blue for sad. And although it’s normal to feel blue when our life changes for any reason because we all need time to adjust to any change, whether it’s good or bad, I reckon the only person who really likes change is a baby with a dirty nappy.
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Depression is the name we give to unusual blues, when you don’t appreciate a sunshine yellow day after a reasonable time, or when your blues are out of proportion to the size of the original event you are depressing about. If you are depressed, this can damage your behaviour, health, looks, work, play and even your ability to handle everyday life.
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Depression is more common than most of us realise. Some depressing statistics are that depression is the largest psychological disorder in the western world and that depression is growing in all age groups and in almost every community. At this rate, depression will become the second most disabling condition in the world by 2020 (after heart disease).
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Did you know that women are twice as likely to become depressed as men because women naturally have lower levels of serotonin than men do.
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Another sad statistic is that women are also less likely to admit to depression. Because of our social conditioning, we’re far more likely to tough it out!
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Are you ready for yet another statistic? Today everyone is a potential candidate for a bout with depression because of the stress generated by our superstressed society. We try to maintain our emotional balance with increasing work pressures and family responsibilities as we struggle to keep our economic balance in an increasingly Globalised economy.
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People with a chronic illness are also very likely to become depressed; unfortunately depression can then make healing much harder which in turn, encourages further depression. And that is one of depression’s major problems – that we start to think in depressing cycles, which leads to more depression.
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Scientists have now categorised depression into three different types:
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Clinical depression is the phrase used to describe depression where you experience major difficulty in coping in all areas of life and is most likely to be associated with suicidal thoughts or attempts. People who clinically depress are considered to be able to return to normal functioning between episodes of depression.
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Dysthymia is categorised as not as severe as clinical depression (unless you are on the inside looking out, of course), but you experience persistent low-level symptoms of depression which can go on and on for years. You are able to function but always feel as if you aren't functioning at your best.
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Bipolar depression used to be known as manic-depressive where you seesaw between extreme "highs" (mania) and "lows" (depression). This is the depression we stereotype as being the province of the creative people, like artists and musicians who experience extreme creative highs and lows.
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If you are depressed, your doctor may prescribe antidepressant drugs. SSRI’s are the most commonly prescribed medication for depression and in Australia, Prozac and Zoloft are the most commonly prescribed brand names of these antidepressants.
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Researchers can’t explain exactly how these drugs work, but research shows they somehow restore the brain's chemical balance. However, recent research questions the theory that all depression is caused by chemical imbalance in the brain, because statistics also show there is 10 times more major depression measured in people born after 1945 than in those born before 1945. It is unlikely that human genes can mutate quickly enough to cause such an extreme change in chemical balances, so it is more likely that some external stressor/s could be responsible.
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Although SSRI drugs are 70% effective in relieving the chemical component of depression, most doctors now recommend a combination of drug and psychological therapy. Psychologists recommend either Cognitive Behavior Therapy (to focus on replacing the cycle of negative thoughts with a more realistic worldview) or Interpersonal Psychotherapy (to focus on past and present relationships and how they affect you today). Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) may also help to reprogram cyclic depressive thoughts.
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If you prefer a gentler, more spiritual approach, altermnate treatments for depression include aromatherapy, acupuncture, exercise, homeopathy, massage, meditation, reflexology, Reiki, Tai Chi or Yoga. Most new age treatments to counter depression encourage the release of the hormone norepinephrine, which helps the brain deal with stress that often leads to depression and anxiety.
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Our biggest challenge in our smart society is to get honest. Three dangerous myths currently popular in our society are (1) depression is a sign of weakness which can be overcome by willpower alone, (2) depression is a normal part of aging and (3) people who talk about suicide never actually do it.
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One of the most important gifts we can offer a depressed friend or family member is time. Just taking time to listen without judging can be the best gift of all.
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Another huge problem is our inability to recognize the symptoms of depression in others or ourselves. Most of us assume our depression is due to a lack of sleep or a poor diet: we mistake the symptoms of depression for the cause.
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In fact, we may have also mistaken the symptoms for the cause when we look for reasons for our society’s huge increase in depression since 1945. Our society’s collective depression may not be causing our self-focused society; it may be that our me-first society is causing our depression!
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When we were tribal our society automatically gave support when needed, because we were involved with our neighbours and noticed any out of the ordinary behaviour. We also accepted our role as good neighbours, to help where we can, where modern Western society doesn’t. The very traditional Amish society in the States and the Kaluli tribe of New Guinea have two major things in common: in both societies you know that if you have a problem your family and neighbours will automatically help you AND major depression is almost unknown.
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We all share basic needs for us not just to exist, but to thrive and to enjoy life. After our primary need for food, water and shelter has been met we have emotional, spiritual and physical needs that also need to be satisfied. Perhaps those of us who Sing the Blues are just not getting our basic societal needs met in our brave new post-1945 world.
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May sunshine light up your world …
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