By Guest Blogger Tracy Rose, Healthline.com
A person who has never experienced clinical depression may have a hard time believing it can incapacitate someone or prevent them from functioning up to their potential. It is difficult to imagine why someone “can’t” do ordinary, simple activities. Even a depressed person may have a hard time accepting when a mood has the upper hand.
October is Depression Awareness Month, which brings attention to the symptoms of this mood disorder, its reach and resources that are available to help. The idea is to increase understanding of depression in order to create a more accepting attitude about it from the general public.
The statistics on depression make it clear that awareness is needed. For example, the fourth leading cause of death among people 18-25 is suicide. Why is it that so many young adults suffer with depression and only an estimated 44 percent of them seek help?
The above statistics are made more tragic by the fact that depression is very treatable. For those with severe depression, a combination of therapy and medication is usually effective.
In the workplace, many people with depressive symptoms suffer in silence. They are often afraid their bosses will find out. Especially now, with high unemployment, people worry about being passed-over for promotions, considered a liability or getting laid-off.
How to Help
Two organizations, Help for Depression and To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), have teamed up to raise money for depression awareness. They hope to raise $15,000 – and you can help make that happen! Just click the “Like” button on Help for Depression’s Facebook page between now and October 15th. Each new “Like” raises one dollar toward our goal. It takes only a few seconds and can do so much good!
This is an easy and cost-free way to make a difference. With your assistance, Help for Depression and TWLOHA will have the means to educate people about depression. The hope is that eventually depression suffers will be able to ask for help without being stigmatized or unfairly treated. Please go to the Help for Depression’s Facebook page to make a cost-free contribution.
More Reasons to Help
Each year in the U.S., there are eleven deaths by suicide for every 100,000 people. The risk is higher for those over 65. Among seniors, the suicide rate is fifteen deaths per 100,000. Symptoms in the elderly can be dismissed as “old age” behavior and many seniors with depression go undiagnosed. Families and health care professionals need more awareness about this issue. It affects all of us; eventually.
Spreading awareness about depression is also a way to support our Veterans and military members. A survey conducted three years ago revealed that 10 percent of U.S. Veterans, aged 21-29, had one or more episodes of this mood disorder the previous year. Our service men and women deserve stigma-free, easy to access treatment for depressive symptoms.
It is possible that if current trends continue, by 2020 one in four people will experience depression. Stripping depression of its stigma is critical. Remember, you can help make this happen. Please go to Help for Depression’s Facebook page and click the “Like” button. Your effort is truly appreciated.
Depression mostly takes place in winters. One must take preventive steps. Getting better is difficult. It’s probably the hardest thing a person faces in life.
Annie – it sounds like you are going through another bout of depression. This is not unusual for someone who has gone through periods of depression before. If you are not on a medication or in therapy at the moment, I strongly encourage you to find help. There are resources in your community that can help you. Try your state’s 2-1-1 (simply call 2-1-1 from your phone, or enter your state name and 211 in any search engine -Google, etc.). Or you can use the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Mental Health Locator – http://store.samhsa.gov/mhlocator. Just click your state on the map on the page for information about mental health services in your state. I know you want to hide under the covers right now, but isolating yourself will just make things worse. Getting better is hard – it takes work. You have to get up and go to counseling when you really don’t want to; you have to talk about what is going on in your life, when you just want to be silent; you have to fight when sometimes you just want to give up. But once you get help, you will start to feel better and the fight will be worth it. I know what it’s like to feel the way you do, but I also know what it’s like to battle back from that. It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but being on the other side of it now, I’m so glad I did it. You can only really appreciate the sun when you’ve been through the darkness. Good luck! Remember, there are people who care about you and want to help you get better, but you need to take the first step and ask for their help.
I know I have suffered with depression for years, but not until this last year have I had such a time with not wanting to get out of bed. I just want to go to work, have something quick for dinner (usually a bowl of cereal) and go to bed and huddle in my little cacoon. A lot of what I’m experiencing right now is from some marital issues….and he just doesn’t understand. I’ve have tried different therapies, medications, and doctors. But right now I just want to hide, not communicate, not do anything for my enjoyment….just sleep and hide. I am at a total loss of what to do next….I often think of suicide, then I think of my daughter. But I feel such pain daily. Help!
Annie
I went through my first episode of clinical depression & anxiety last year at the age of 35. I had never experienced anything like it before. It took me almost a full year of feeling terrible and crying nearly every day to seek help. Since I had never been through it before, I didn’t really know what it was and was in denial for a long time. Clinical depression is not just feeling down or blue every once and awhile. It is much more than that. If you are crying a lot, not sleeping or sleeping more than 10 or so hours a day, not eating, feel alone and isolated, not enjoying things you used to – these are all symptoms of depression. Ask for help!
Once I began therapy, it took me another 6-8 months to realize that therapy alone would not be enough. Coming around to the idea of taking medication was hard for me, even though I have had plenty of friends who have been on one type of medication or another. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to get help. Once I went on medication, I began to feel better within a month, and was back to my old self in 3. I was lucky – the first med. I was put on worked well for me. I know for others it can be a very difficult process of trying different medications to find one that works. My advice would be to get help if you have not already. Tell your regular doctor about your symptoms and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or therapist or both. Again, the first doctor or therapist you see may not be the right one for you. It could take some trial and error. But don’t give up. There is help!
I’ve had a headache with pain behind my right eye since July 2008. A short time into this nightmare, I was also diagnosed with MDD, Major Depressive Disorder. I thought, who wouldn’t become depressed after having a debilitating headache EVERYDAY?
Through the course of this medical travesty, I have seen more than 20 specialists ranging from neurologists (including a well known Professor of Neurology), otolaryngologists, an ENT, endocrinologists, chiropractors, psychiatrists, massage therapists, neuro surgeons, licensed psychologists, orthopedic surgeons, neuro ophthalmologists, optometrists, rheumatologists, physical therapists, individual and family counselors, pain management specialists, even the Clinical Assistant Professor at the Missouri Spine Center, all with absolutely no relief.
I won’t go into the medications and tests that I’ve been on and through, but they are as numerous as the doctors that I’ve seen.
I currently have health insurance through the Missouri High Risk Insurance Pool. This insurance costs more than my mortage and because of that I will not have enough money in my savings to make my December insurance premium.
I’ve applied for all of the assistance programs that I can find and have been denied by all. My husband is on disability and makes just enough to buy our food, pay our utility bills, and make our mortage but too much for us to be eligible for assistance. We’ve depleted our savings during the last 2 years of my unemployment because we wanted to keep up my health insurance due to the pre-existing conditions that I have.
Even my letter to President Obama brought no relief. I really don’t know what we will do.
Talk about playing games with the disabled. My local office has a policy to only accept calls between 1pm-3pm. If you call at that time a recording says unable to take your call at this time. Guess it’s true about the squeaky wheel getting the grease.
Be Loud, Be Proud.
Nate
Suck it up! That is what most of us have learned to do, and for very good reasons – laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you clearly cry alone. In today’s world, with all of the stress going on for almost all of us, the last thing one needs is a needy individual hanging on, or continuously on a downer. You learn to fake it, too – get by, or sometimes I will just make a joke out of it, like what took you so long? I will most likely joke back, didn’t you know depressed people don’t get up before 2pm and sometimes never? It is a joke that I use, and hide what I am feeling 24 hours a day for most of my life, have learned to fake it. Sometimes when things happen, considered bad for the average person, who most likely will snap out of it within a reasonable time frame, I can go into a dark tunnel for a very long time. Most recently it was one full year before I pulled myself out from under the covers, couldn’t pay mortgage, co pays or whatever. Quit is not in my vocabulary, however. When I have allowed myself to give in and fall that badly, I become almost immobile, only to move or make comments when I think I have to perform for other’s entertainment, or being the adult figure must maintain. The last ten years or so, every night it is “help me make it through the night,” my last sentence in closing prayers, daily, thoughts of ending it. Through counseling I have learned to fight this feeling. This year has been extremely hard – sickness, injury, loss of job, another injury, it just keeps going on, losing all investments one at a time. There is nowhere to turn. My only blessings were my doctors that cared enough to be there, even though I was not the easiest patient. The doctor that approved me for SSD and then for Medicare, that has been a blessing, in spite of it all. I know that I am truly blessed much more than some, so I hesitate sharing for fear of sounding spoiled? or whatever term one wants to use, but tomorrow when I get up and no one is looking, I will do my best to put one foot in front of the other, and yes, family members, loved ones, even those once married to would never know the desperation in my being to just keep going. Why I am this way?? It just is.
Depressed? All I do is cry. I cannot seem to get help. I have not been diagnosed yet, but am having panic attacks. Maybe it is because I have Diabetes, Shogrens syndrome, my kidneys are grade 4 kidney failure. Had a triple bypass 3 years ago, had a stroke last month that has left my left hand handicapped. When they tried to find why I had the stroke, they found my carotid artery is 70% blocked so they checked my heart with a nuclear stress test and dye which I am allergic to and they found out one of my bypasses is 100% blocked and the other is 94%. So I need surgery on these two different things. It will hurt my kidneys even more because they have to use the dye again. I have spondialosis so I am in a wheelchair most of the time. I have diabetic retinopothy in my eyes. Get the picture? I have been trying to get Medicaid or something because I am close to a million dollors in debt for medical bills. I have doors shut in front of me even before I open them. We make too much on Social Security and a little unemployment to get help. By the way, I was a foster parent for the state of Florida for 16 years and paid $60,000 to adopt one of the foster kids. He had problems because of a traumatic birth and a mentally ill mother. Now he is schitsoeffective and chooses to flip out once in a while and be mean to us. So I am dealing with his mental illness as well. I can’t wait until I am 65 if I make it that long and can go on Medicare. I wish someone could help, but all we get is the run around from our government offices. You can’t even get through on the phones to the Medicaid offices. I could tell more, but I have already wasted everyone’s time. Thanks, Bev.
HOW ABOUT AT WORK WHEN THEY EXPOSE YOUR CONFIDENTAL MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR MENTAL CONDITION TO A ROOM FULL OF MEN AND THE EMPLOYER SHOWS THAT TO THEM? I AM BEING ACCUSED WHERE I WORK OF HAVING SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH ANOTHER EMPLOYEE AT WORK AND DOING DRUGS. I WAS ACCUSED OF IT THIS YEAR, AND IT SPREAD LIKE WILD FIRE. IT’S ALSO IN A LAWSUIT OF ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO WAS AGGRAVATED SEXUALLY ASSULTED AND WAS CAUGHT ON TAPE TWICE IN LESS THEN 6 MONTHS. THE PERSON THAT DID IT IS ACCUSING ME OF FORCING HER TO FILE BECAUSE I WAS CAUGHT BY HIM WITH ANOTHER MAN AND WAS THREATENING TO TELL MY HUSBAND. AND NOW I GET TEXTS ON MY PHONE LIKE “WATCH WHAT YOU SAY IN COURT. IT CAN BE HELD AGAINST YOU.” AND BOTH SIDES OF LAWYERS WERE WARNED THAT IF IT IS USED IN COURT, I WILL HAVE THE DPT. OF DISABILITY INVESTIGATE AND SEE IF IT’S JUST CAUSE FOR A LAWSUIT.
DISABLED SINCE 2004. WHY NOW, WHY ME?
WHY THIS YEAR? WHAT RIGHTS TO I HAVE?
- WHITEBEANCORN
I am on SSD with a diagnosis of Bipolar II. FINALLY was diagnosed correctly 3 yrs ago so am on effective meds at 46 years of age. I had all the documentation, plus a ‘neuropsych test’-done by a Ph.D.- memory, recall, processing thinking, I don’t remember what else….LOL. I did mine independently. (I failed miserably, and I am an RN – scarey huh?) Social Security will (& should) also order and pay for this test.
Miss Vita, are you actually bipolar, instead of unipolar (depression alone)?
Melody, your attorney says you have enough documentation to get you approved? Then what is her hold-up? Is she really trying for you? How many appeals have you done? Have you done the neuropsych testing?
So often people only go to the dr. when they are ‘down.’ Rarely do they go to their dr. complaining of being ‘up.’ Bipolar is so often missed when diagnosing and treating patients because they don’t see this other side. I have long term damage because of the wrong treatment (antidepressants only) for 26 years. Goggle and see symptoms. Maybe this needs to be considered by your doctor (even if it is only a family dr- and even if family dr prescribes any antidepressants you may be on.)
I was approved very quickly, and first time, because I (no atty) submitted ALL my med docs (incl recent hospital stay) and the written report of the PhD of NP testing results and recommendations.
Good luck gang…. Cyndi
11 months later and I can’t take any more let downs. My job of only 4yrs. was terminated because of my emotional behavior. Employer had no human resources. I lost my apt. My 2 daughters were forced to live elsewhere. I ended up in a garage with my B.fr. who is mentally disabled due to negligence. My UIB HAS JUST RAN OUT FOR THE 2ND TIME. DPSS IS ONLY GIVING ME 17 DOLLARS IN FOODSTAMPS. MY CAR IS ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER. MY REGISTRATION IS DUE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS. THE LA WORKFORCE AGENCY PAYS NO ATTENTION TO MY DESPERATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, REHABILITATION SERVICES. I HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS I HAVE NOT FOLLOWED THRU WITH. MY ONLY SOLICE AND COMFORT IS KNOWING I HAVE A 3 WEEK OLD GRANDSON WHO I WOULD LOVE TO WATCH GROW UP!
I have suffered with Deep Depression/anxiety for over a 10 year period. I have tried all types of medications, including ECT treatments and suffered through hospitalizations. Nothing has helped over the longer term.
It is hard to believe that I am well educated and had an excellent income when this happened. I have not been able to work, but have attempted it numerous times. Sometimes I am so anxious I cannot remember what happened a couple of hours ago. My memory, which was good when I worked, is almost totally compromised. I have worked for 25 years, educated, don’t drink.
I am on SSDI and I am praying that it will continue, only because I have been recently diagnosed with glaucoma, and a torn retina, which have heightened my anxiety tremendously. Also recently divorced after a 30 year old marriage, which I now realize was emotionally abusive. I do hope the meds. continue to work somewhat, and that there is a GOD out there. IB
I am a 33 year old lady with four children and happily married. At the age of 13, I tried to commit suicide by taking a large amount of over the counter pain reliever – as you are aware, this method did not work. It did manage to do enough damage that I will suffer for the rest of my life and not just mentally. I am now diagnoised with bipolar mania with mixed episodes. I too have been on a lot of different medications for this, and still am looking for the right one. It’s even harder now because along with this, I have a medical condition that plays along with this and can take my life at its choosing which by no means makes dealing with bipolar any easier. Everyday there’s something new. I find many things that I do and feel that are just as someone not dealing with any problems at all, but due to different status in life I now carry what I call a label. I have in the past four months just received ssdi after a six year long battle with SSA. I have always worked, but still only received pay for two of the years that I have struggled with dealing with emotional issues and new diseases and I have been out of work for almost seven years.I do not know what will happen in a year or even two days from now. All I do know is that it is vitally important that the resources and knowledge be shared and educate people who suffer from a sickness that is not always the same one day to the next.
I’ve suffered with depression since I was a child. I was timid in school, fell behind in classes, and as a result, I ended up giving up on myself school and life. I had attempted suicide several times in my life. I am now trying to fight the depression as I always have through therapists, antidepressants and groups, as well as being more active in positive ways. I have a wonderful opportunity to go back to school. However, my depression and low self esteem and fear of people has kept me from doing want I so desperately want and need. The only thing holding me down from all these goals I now have is my crippling depression, anxiety and fears. I have not tried to harm myself for over 5 years now. I do still hide from people and isolate myself. Once in a while, I fight that and get out there but I become overwhelmed and retreat into my lonely existence. I’ve had relationships that last until I become overwhelmed and I end it only not to deal with a person. I have found it so devastating that my entire family doesn’t understand at all. I am like the black sheep and the loser of the family even though I’ve never asked them for anything and managed to stay on my own for many years before I received any help from the government. I do not want to always depend on this. However as I see my day to day even though I try and fight my own demons. I can’t seem to shake this sickness that’s engulfed my world. I wish my family and other people would at least understand it. Most do not and most are solely judging me. They think cause I can look normal, nothing is wrong. But the sickness in me is powerful and has shaken my heart and soul. I live alone, I am alone. I do not feel sorry for myself because I am a survivor and I will always try my best to keep my goals even if it takes me a lifetime.
The bigest problem for me was my co-workers always making FUN & BULLYING. All I wanted was to be alone, but my bigest problem was my family they didn’t understand what was going on with me when I didn’t now myself. Going to work was the hardest thing for me. After I tried to kill myself, the only thing that helped were the Drs at Clifton Spring Hospital, NY pysch ward.
Depression started with me after a major accident and I was unable to work for eight months and lost my job of 14 years. I have worked my whole life and provided for my family first and foremost. I was unable to work due to four crushed disks in my back and a bruised brain due to a accident that was not my fault. It has been three years now that I have been working but it seem that a weight of 100 lbs is straped to my shoulders. I have to fight to even get up and move from one place to another. I am not myself and I can’t seem to get me back the way I was before. I am getting better because I hide how bad I feel because I don’t want my family to feel sorry for me. On a scale of one to ten, I only feel that I am maybe a four toward being my old happy self. My wife of 40 years knows I am not myself and I can see how me being unable to do things like before has taken a toll on her. She seems overwhelmed with taking care of things that before I could do at a moment’s notice. I can’t seem to get anything done without really trying hard to concentrate on each movement to completion. Does it sound bad? Well, yes, but it is getting better. So keep fighting it – you can get there. From someone who never posts anything!! Thank you.
I have been depressed for a very long time, tried different meds and still not on the right meds. I don’t know what to do. I know there’s something out there to help me, I just need to find it!!
I am sorry, at this time I can only say “THANK YOU”.
Well, depression has always made it very hard for me and even my loved ones at times. Never the less, I always try my hardest to remember that it was something I was born with and now I pray that god will help me over come it. Live day to day and finding the positive things that I’m blessed to have in my life and writing them down always seems to remind me that life’s a road and sometimes that broken road needs repaved.
What I want to know is why SSD will not approve a person with all the Mental Listings Listed under their rules? I have been waiting 5 yrs now. I am about to lose my home. Have nothing at all. I am on Food Stamps, have Medicaid, & they keep denying me for SSD. I have had a lawyer the entire time. She even says I have enough medical evidence to get approved….
If you know of anyway that I can move this along, pls feel free to contact me [by replying to comment].
Melody T.
Thanks.
I know the feeeling!!! All of the negative forces going on does not help it either. The War on the disabled and elderly by the GOP IS TERRIBLE! If you go out on Disability you cannot get MEDICARE for two years. My health is steady declining. The state Medicaid plays games with you as well, you might get help. Do not count on it. We need health care bill active right now! This is why people give up and do not seek health care. We get tired of the maltreatment and the run around. We have worked to make this country what it is. The rich and the rip off insurance companies get all the breaks. We get broken down with denial after denial. Please tell us how we can get what we need? 30, 40 years in the employment sector and this is how we are treated.
I am a 49 year old divorced, afro. American woman, mixed with white – and yes it does matter. I don’t have any kids and I don’t want any [more]. I don’t have any grandkids, either. I hope that my one and only 27 year old daughter never has any and she doesn’t want any, and yes I do plan on getting married again, asap, when I have the right man, and yes you can aready have him. I have been married 3 times, this will be my 4th husband, and yes I lived with all of my exs and no that doesn’t depress me. I always have a new love, and a good man, that is saying something. It has always worked for me. Always. I am in Utah now, that is saying something, too. It would take me too long to tell you. Some people think that when a person is depressed they can never be happy. That is a lie, a very, very big lie. People still laugh, smile. You do have real days. I hate people that think that you are supposed to be depressed at all times to make them feel compete, but they are still not complete. They are the sad ones. And depression is real, and some people have lived with it for over 40-something years, taking meds the whole time. It is an up and down thing even with the meds, and people still travel, get married, and live with it, ending, hopefully, but if not, you don’t stop living. How can you stop living? There is no ending to that, you live, and aging is great, and it isn’t the same thing as being 30something, that is a foolish thought from whomever could even think a thing like that. I am 49 for a reason, and it wasn’t overnight and it does mean something. And when I am 50 that will mean something also, it isn’t just a number. And no, you can’t go back to the younger years. That is over, with a big o. (smile)
- Miss Vita Michelle K.