National Depression Screening Day

October 8 has been set aside to mark National Depression Screening Day in the United States. We need more than a day, but it’s a start. Why do we need a day like that? Because there are people who are depressed but don’t know they can get help. There are people who are fighting a losing battle against depression because they’re not getting the help they know they need. There are people who deny the existence of a true medical problem called depression, making it difficult – if not impossible – for their loved ones to get help.

Clinical depression is a serious medical illness. It will not go away on its own and you can’t tough it out. Clinical depression isn’t feeling sad because you lost someone close to you or you are just feeling down. Clinical depression is (Berkeley):

•    Sleep disturbances-insomnia, oversleeping, waking much earlier than usual
•    Changes in appetite or eating: much more or much less
•    Decreased energy, fatigue
•    Headaches, stomachaches, digestive problems or other physical symptoms that are not explained by other physical conditions or do not respond to treatment
•    Thoughts of death or suicide
•    Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, such as going out with friends, hobbies, sports, sex, etc.
•    Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
•    Neglecting responsibilities or personal appearance
•    Persistent sad or “empty” mood, lasting two or more weeks
•    Crying “for no reason”
•    Feeling hopeless, helpless, guilty or worthless
•    Feeling irritable, agitated or anxious

The National Alliance for Mental Health reports that major depression affects as many as 15 million adults in the U.S. – and that’s just the people who have the illness. Many millions more people are affected by the illness as they live with or work with someone who is affected by it.
If you feel that you may have depression, ask your doctor for help. Depression can be treated and you can be helped, but you have to make that first step: recognizing that you can’t go it alone.

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