Depression
Diagnosis
Here’s something you probably know by now: Depression hits the invisible illness community hard. While less than 10% of the general population has one or more major depressive episodes per year, one-third of people who live with chronic illnesses deal with depression, and half of those with autoimmune diseases experience depression-like symptoms. Yeah, those statistics pretty much say it all, don’t they? In short: if you have this mood disorder, you. are. not. alone. Emphasis necessary! How do you know if what you’re feeling is depression, and it’s not just a case of the blues? Depression is often diagnosed based on criteria listed in the DSM-5, a diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatric Association. Check it out to learn more! Common symptoms of depression include sadness, a flat mood, and a loss of interest in things that used to excite you. If you’re also not eating right, not sleeping well, feeling fatigue, having a hard time concentrating, or having feelings of worthlessness or guilt, you could be sliding into depression. Depression sometimes also bring intrusive thoughts of death or suicide, symptoms that qualify as an emergency—and it’s very important to get help ASAP. If it’s hard to reach out for help on your own, ask a family member or friend you trust to support you in getting that help. It can be incredibly hard to keep your spirits up when you’re dealing with a chronic illness, for all kinds of reasons. In addition to the illness itself and the side effects of treatment, being sick can affect your mobility and independence, and can change the way you live, your self-perception, and the way others see you. To pile on, your condition can make you feel physically depressed. Immune system fluctuations, for example, can affect the brain and lead to behavior abnormalities, including fatigue and depression-like symptoms. And, let’s face it, being ill can be a lonely journey—if we let it be! Too many of us focus on our primary diagnosis while letting depression go untreated…until we’re feeling much worse. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Depression is treatable. The first step—and it can be a hard one—is asking for help. There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for this condition. If your symptoms are severe enough, hospitalization or inpatient treatment may be recommended. More common treatments include antidepressants (check out our entry in the WanaLibrary), talk therapy, or a combination of both. There are also natural remedies and self-care options to explore, including exercise, relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, guided imagery, and music therapy. St. John’s wort, an herbal supplement popular for depression, might be effective for some people. There’s also research to support kava, 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), and SAM-e supplements. If you’re feeling shame about having depression, or you’ve been reluctant to get help for any reason, know this: Both of those are common sentiments, but help is out there, and by talking about your experience and seeking treatment, you’re helping to break down the stigma that has needlessly hurt others in your shoes. It’s hard, but through it all, we promise that your WanaFam has got your back.
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