DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A QUALIFIED PSYCHIATRIST ( i will be well on the way there in about 4 years iA)
Hey everyone, so im part of the psychiatry society of my medical school and we are currently making a fact sheet to hand out to students in the uni.
Depression comes up alot in life1. Contrary to popular pakistani belief you cannot just tell someone to snap out of it. It is an illness, it has symtoms and needs treatment.
So I thought id put a little fact sheet up on here, just for a little more info or incase you are worried about it in yourself or a loved on.
I have made the factsheet according to what happens in the UK however things are pretty similar on an international scale too.
I hope you find it helpful 
Depression…what is it?
Depression is a serious illness. Health professionals use the words depression, depressive illness or clinical depression to refer to it. It is very different from the common experience of feeling unhappy, miserable or fed up for a short period of time.
Depression is quite common and about one in ten people will experience depression at some point.
A few people still think that depression is not a real illness and that it is a form of weakness or admission of failure. This is simply not true. Depression is a real illness with real effects, and it is certainly not a sign of failure.
Signs and Symptoms
A person with depression will have a constant low mood for 2 weeks or longer and will lose interest in daily activities
Along with this they may also have:
Physical Symptoms
A change in weight and appetite
Constipation
Slowing of movement and speech
Lack of energy
Low libido (lack of interest in sex
Disturbed sleep patters-classically finding it difficult to fall asleep and early morning awakening
Changes in periods
Psychological Symptoms
Feelings of helplessness and hoplessness
Feelings of Guilt
Tearful
Feeling intolerable of others
Extremely low self esteem
Difficulty in making even small decisions
and on serious note: thoughts of self harm and suicide or actually trying to commit suicide
Social Symptoms
Not doing well at school and work
Avoiding family and friends
Avoiding eye contact
Not smiling (sounds weird but i have seen this in sooo many patients)
There are some more but these are classical signs and symptoms
Depression is classed from mild to severe depending on the impact it has on your daily life.
**So…what causes depression?
**
There is no single cause for depression it can be a complex mix of things but I have listen some of the things that can contribute to a person becoming depressed
Difficult time in someones life- breakup, marriage difficulties, loss of a job, bereavement
A family history- if depressions runs in your family you are more likely to have depression
Illness- lots of people get depression after a major bout of bad health for example after having a heart attack
Giving Birth-postnatal depression ( a whole other topic)
Social Isolation-if you are cut off from family and friends for whatever reason
Alcohol and drug abuse.
Lots of people talk about a downward spiral..so for example there is a bereavement in the family and they during this time they cut off from family and friends and dont look after their health, they become ill and turn to alcohol and drugs etc etc
**So…what should you do next? **
For those of you living in western countries or places where mental health isnt that much of a taboo obviously the first port of call is your family doctor / GP and they can advice you from there on yourself or someone you are worried about
What i do want to concentrate on is what people can do if they cannot easily access their doctor either because they are living for example in pakistan where no matter how upper class or educated you are mental health issues are seen as a taboo or even if you do live in a western country, your family or community for whatever reason hold you back.
Here are some of the steps you can take
- online communities and websites - there are many I really MIND
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Talk- find someone you can talk to, whether it be a loved one or on an online community such as this one
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Exercise- It is very very very hard to motivate yourself when you are depressed but even walking a few minutes around the house, vacuuming anything to start off with is massively helpful. When you exercise you release seretonin…this is the happy hormone of the brain
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Look after number 1-YOU…yes you may have kids and you may have a husband but take a few moments a day to take a shower, prepare a nice meal and enjoy what you eat even small things like women do your hair nicely etc I know this sounds sooo small but its all about baby steps
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Give- help others around you, volunteer and donate to charity.
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Read-obviously read a good story book if you feel like it but there are many fantastic self help books available and with the internet you can order online!
Start Small and stay focused.
Now I could talk about the other treatments for depression the ones you can get in hospital or through the doctors however I dont feel i should as i dont want to spark a debate about it and for those who have access to it I think the best person to ask for this info is your family doctor or GP
I hope my little fact sheet has helped
