Depression is one of the most common mental disorders and yet the most treatable one. It is estimated that 1 in 4 Canadians faces a depression that is severe enough to require treatment. It is important to understand that sadness or grief are normal reactions that occur within an individual as its part of an individual’s life and stress which can time some time for an individual to heal.
Depression is different as an individual may begin to face a loss of interest and if not treated for, the symptoms can last for long periods of time. There are 3 major types of depression which include, major depressive disorder, dysthymia and bipolar disorder.
As a side note, if you or anyone you know has some unintentional thoughts of suicide and may be potentially at risk, it is important to seek help immediately. If it is an emergency crisis, you can call 911 or you can call the Distress Centre of Toronto at (416) – 408 – HELP (4357). For more points of contact: visit the following website:
https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/kb/docs/articles/311-toronto/information-and-business-development/crisis-lines-suicide-depression-telephone-support-lines-non-crisis-mental-health-services.html
Major Depressive Disorder
Individuals who have major depressive disorder may feel like they are constantly feeling down, sad, hopeless, irritable or unable to feel pleasure. They may experience changes in their habits including sleeping and eating as they feel like they have difficulty concentrating. Overtime, the individual starts to believe they are not worthy. However, with treatment, the symptoms can go away in few months. Typically, when an individual faces an episode of major depressive disorder, it requires the individual to face 5 of the symptoms within a 2-week span.
Dysthymia
Dysthymia and major depressive disorder have similar symptoms such as feeling low, poor concentration, sense of worthlessness and more. Dysthymia is also known as persistent depressive disorder which means it often lasts longer than 2 weeks. Overtime, this can have an impact on the individual’s daily activities, relationships and more. Dysthymia may not be as severe as major depressive disorder, an individual can feel a mild depressed mood for a longer period of time.
Bipolar depression
Bipolar disorder occurs when an individual goes through ups and downs in their life. Sometimes the individual would feel low which has symptoms similar to major depressive disorder as the individual may feel sad and worthless. However, there are also times in which the individual enjoys mental excitement also known as mania. When an individual goes through a manic episode, they might feel they do not require as much sleep and/or face increased sense of social, physical or sexual activity. During the phase, the individual may think they can do anything and may not consider the harm associated to their actions.
Treatment and Medication
There are different ways to treat depression whether it is through therapy, medication or a combination of both. It is often that psychotherapy or antidepressant medication can be used. Medication such as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRIs) which can include fluoxotine, paroxetine and citopralam can be used. The prescribed SSRI medication work as it increases the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain to help boost an individual’s mood. However, there are some side effects of SSRI medication such as nausea, insomnia or sexual dysfunction. Another type of medication which can be prescribed may be serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) which include both serotonin and norepinephrine which is used to maintain stress within an individual. Some examples of SNRIs include duloxetine or venlafaxine. There are much more medication including monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricylic antidepressants too.
If you are facing symptoms of depression, first speak with your healthcare provider to see what available resources are available for you. You can also speak with our pharmacist at Guildview Pharmacy to learn more on the use of these medications.
Kelly’s Story
It is important to remember that you are not alone as there are many people that go through depression. A lady named Kelly went through a very tough time when she had just finished school. She had faced a broken relationship and had a hard time communicating with her family as she felt completely lost and confused about her life. Later, she felt she could not sleep properly and she was not eating properly.
Overtime, she lost her motivation and she did not know what was wrong with her as she felt it was hard to pretend everything was okay to her close family and friends. At one point she was so fed up and decided to move to another city and start a new life.
In beginning, everything felt good but then one day she felt like there was a switch and she was back to a low point in her life where she did not know what was wrong with her. She decided to go back home as she felt she was isolating herself. She often locked herself in her room and eventually her family and friends noticed that she is not the same Kelly anymore. She eventually got the assistance she required as she went to her family doctor to get the treatment she wanted for her depression.
Kelly learned that it was important to speak to those who cared about her as they were all worried about her wellbeing. By reaching out for help, it gave her the opportunity to change how she felt about herself as she started to feel god about herself again. To learn more about Kelly’s story, you can click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/6XSSfaeNVJM?autoplay=0&mute=0&controls=0&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmanage.wix.com&playsinline=1&showinfo=0&rel=0&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&enablejsapi=1&widgetid=1
For more information: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/mental/depression.aspxhttps://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/health-and-pharmacy/conditions/depression/43/treatment-and-prevention
Written by: Shenen Sivakumar