Today is Depression Screening Day
Besides being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October is also National Depression Awareness Month. And today, October 4, is National Depression Screening Day.
I'll come right out and say it: I've been struggling with severe depression for years. I resisted treatment, therapy, and medication for a long, long time. Once I got over my misconception that getting help to fight depression somehow made me a weak person who took for granted the many ways in which she's been blessed in her life, I saw my doctor, and got a therapist, and I'm feeling a whole lot better.
Depression is a medical disorder with a biological and chemical basis. It's not a weakness.
But it's an ongoing struggle. I've been dealing with a bit of a relapse over the past few months, but treatment helps, and so far I've been able to avoid the deep, hopeless troughs of 2006. I can't imagine how dire my situation would be if I didn't have my awesome therapist and my dear close friends Kate, Andrea, and my sister and brother and sister-in-law who are so incredibly supportive and understanding of my situation and go way above-and-beyond to make sure I'm doing okay. And being on the fringe of Office fandom helps, too. :)
Symptoms:
Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood
Changes in sleep
Change in appetite with weight loss or gain
Lack of interest in once enjoyable activities
Restless/irritable
Persistent physical symptoms that don’t respond to treatment
Difficulty concentrating and/or remembering things
Difficulty making decisions
Fatigue/loss of energy
Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
Thoughts of suicide or death
You can take a confidential self-screening test here. And here is an excellent overview by the Mayo Clinic.
If you think you or someone you love might be depressed, please see your doctor. It's really important that you start being treated for this disease. And feel free to write and ask me any questions about my experience, especially if you are suffering. I've been there. I am there.
I'll come right out and say it: I've been struggling with severe depression for years. I resisted treatment, therapy, and medication for a long, long time. Once I got over my misconception that getting help to fight depression somehow made me a weak person who took for granted the many ways in which she's been blessed in her life, I saw my doctor, and got a therapist, and I'm feeling a whole lot better.
Depression is a medical disorder with a biological and chemical basis. It's not a weakness.
But it's an ongoing struggle. I've been dealing with a bit of a relapse over the past few months, but treatment helps, and so far I've been able to avoid the deep, hopeless troughs of 2006. I can't imagine how dire my situation would be if I didn't have my awesome therapist and my dear close friends Kate, Andrea, and my sister and brother and sister-in-law who are so incredibly supportive and understanding of my situation and go way above-and-beyond to make sure I'm doing okay. And being on the fringe of Office fandom helps, too. :)
Symptoms:
You can take a confidential self-screening test here. And here is an excellent overview by the Mayo Clinic.
If you think you or someone you love might be depressed, please see your doctor. It's really important that you start being treated for this disease. And feel free to write and ask me any questions about my experience, especially if you are suffering. I've been there. I am there.