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Basic facts about major depression (unipolar disorder) |
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Major depression is: |
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- Like schizophrenia, a brain disease with concrete and specific symptoms due to physical and biochemical changes in the brain.
- Almost always treatable with medication.
- Affects a significant percentage of the
population at least once during their
lifetimes.
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Signs and symptoms
(Excerpted from the
website of the Mood Disorders Association of B.C.)
Activities and interests, once pleasurable and
stimulating, become stale. Depressed persons
isolate themselves by withdrawing from their
friends and family members. Work habits may
deteriorate and the depressed person is often
very fatigued. With depression there may be
indecisiveness and slowed thinking, difficulty
concentrating and poor memory. People with
depression may feel sad and unhappy deep down.
Pessimism and negativity are also common
feelings for someone who is depressed. The
depressed person may not have a clear
understanding of why they are depressed, what to
do about it and how they are acting. As well as
mental and emotional symptoms, a person with
depression may experience physical symptoms.
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- Feelings of sadness, anxiety and
hopelessness
- Sense of impending doom or disaster
- Reduced enjoyment and pleasure - void of
emotions
- Loss of energy and motivation
- Low self-esteem or guilt, feelings of
worthlessness
- Feelings of deep insecurity
- Preoccupation with failures or
inadequacies
- Eating disturbance - increased or
decreased
- Sleeping disturbance - increased or
decreased
- Diminished ability to think or
concentrate; slowed thinking or
indecisiveness
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal
thoughts or attempts
- Headaches or body pain
- Increased risk of heart disease and
magnification of cardiac problems
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More information on depression
Internet Mental Health
A detailed
description of depression, including symptoms
and associated problems, plus a long list of reference material and links on treatment, causation, illness variations,
and how to manage the illness.
Depression and Anxiety Resources and
Education Centre
Information and commentary about depression and
anxiety disorders for health professionals
and the public, from McMaster University.
Books
For a shortlist of books on
depression, see our bibliography. |
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Help for families and patients
For family members: The Family Support Centre covers all serious mental illnesses, including
depression. Specific programs helping families deal with the illness include the
family support group,
one-on-one peer counselling and our
Family-to-Family education program.
For patients and supporters:
The Mood Disorders Association of B.C.
runs support groups for those
suffering from depression, anxiety or
bipolar disorder, and provides a wide range of specialized materials and resources.
Contact Karen at 604-988-4327 for
information on the North Shore support
group for people with mood disorders and
their families. |
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2010 North Shore Schizophrenia Society.