Depression
And Anti-Depressants
We
suggest that you read this leaflet all the way through in one go first, then go
back to re-read particular sections that might interest you.
1.
What is 'Depression'?
2.
What causes depression?
3.
How does someone feel when he has 'Depression'?
4.
Can a person fight this disease alone?
5.
How is Depression best treated?
6.
How long do I need to take them?
7.
Do they cause side effects?
8.How
do I start treatment?
9....
and how do I come off the treatment?
10.
Surely it is better to talk through problems than use mind-altering
drugs?
There
are many myths and misconceptions about the nature of 'Depression'.
These
notes are an attempt to give the official medical explanation of the illness;
they are based on a review of the Medical Literature, years of Clinical
Experience, and dialogue with the world's leading authority on Depression in
Primary Care - Doctor Joseph H. Talley of Grover, North Carolina.
1.
What is 'Depression'?
It
is a biochemical disorder in which the brain fails to produce certain vital
chemicals in sufficient amounts to maintain normal physical and psychological
well being. The symptoms caused by this shortage are very varied indeed and so
are the patients' reactions to them.
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2.
What causes 'Depression'?
We
don't know! Sometimes it seems to be related to losses, worries or stress in a
person's life; more often it occurs for no good reason in a totally normal
individual; when this happens, it is always easy to find an 'explanation' in
one's life-style for the symptoms - job, finances, health, marriage, politics,
the ozone layer etc etc!
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3.
How does someone feel when they have 'Depression'?
He
or she will always feel some, but never all of the following symptoms: -
a.
Fatigue, Tiredness, Lassitude. Or as the
patient puts it: 'I'm tired all the time' or 'I've just got no life in me' or 'I
feel permanently drained'.... Tired even after a good nights' rest, tired even
after a weekend off or even after a good holiday.
b.Sleep
Disturbance.
Sometimes just seeming to need more sleep than normal, sometimes not
being able to get off to sleep or waking in the early hours but always a feeling
that the sleep has not been of the right sort and has failed to refresh and
restore.
c.
Irritability.
Friends, relatives and work-mates are often the first to notice this, the
patient 'flying off the handle' in a most uncharacteristic way....the patient is
often the last to notice that something is sadly awry.
d.
Anxieties, worries and even panics, often
over trivial matters.
e.
Sadness and an inability to cope. Often a
feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, of guilt and worthlessness. These
feelings can be so powerful that a loved and valued member of society may even
believe that the world would be a better place without them...often even moving
them to consider suicide as the best solution to their problems.
f.
Pains, real pains, which really do hurt.
These pains are not 'all in the mind' but caused by the chemical
deficiency in the persons' brain. The most common ones are: pains anywhere in
the head and face, gut-aches (various), chest and pelvic pains. When X-Rays,
Barium Studies, Endoscopies and scans all come back negative, the patient
becomes convinced they have some mysterious dread disease beyond medical
understanding. However, once antidepressant treatment is established, the pains
mysteriously disappear.
g.
Digestive Problems. Constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and flatulence,
indigestion and heartburn are all
recognised symptoms; weight gain and weight loss are also common.
h.
Anhedonia. This means an inability to
experience pleasure and the patient often loses what they value the most -
music, laughter, golf, fishing...even sex can lose its appeal.
i.
Poor Concentration. Even reading a book
or watching TV can become a real chore, decision-making extremely difficult and
general judgement atrocious; this is not a good time to make major life
decisions!
j.
Generally Unwell.
A feeling that there is some serious disease going on, eating away at
ones vital reserves; the patient often becomes convinced that they have cancer.
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4.
Can a person fight this disease alone?
No,
absolutely not! Advice such as 'pull
yourself together' or 'Try to snap out of it' although well-intended is useless,
and will-power for Depression is about as effective as will-power in the control
of diarrhoea!
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5.
How is Depression best treated?
With
antidepressant medication. This medicine, usually in the form of pills and helps
the body to replenish those vital chemicals which have gone into short supply.
If you do not have depression, then they do no good at all, nor can they give
you a 'high' or 'pep you up'. Therefore they are cannot cause addiction.
Some
people benefit from some "talking cures", but success rates are less
consistent and dependable than with anti-depressants- see
10 below
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6.
How long do I need to take them?
Usually
a minimum of six months. However, they are so safe that they may be taken as
long as your body needs them.
7.
Do they cause side effects?
Yes,
but these are more of a nuisance than a serious problem and the newer
antidepressants cause very few indeed. If you do experience any, do discuss them
with your doctor, but the side effects do tend to gradually disappear with time
anyway.
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8.How
do I start treatment?
Some
antidepressant help you sleep and are best taken at night, while others give you
somewhat more energy and should be taken in the morning. Sometimes we have to
start on a lower dosage and gradually build up. Do be patient; it takes about
three weeks to achieve the full benefit, but the transformation is dramatic.
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9....
and how do I come off the treatment?
Easy,
but reduce the dosage gradually over 3 or 4 weeks. Tell your spouse, or someone
close to you what you are doing and instruct them to let you know if the
depression is coming back as you, yourself, are often the last one to notice.
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10.
Surely it is better to talk through problems than use mind-altering
drugs?
These
are not 'mind-altering drugs'; they simply restore your brain chemistry to
normal. Depression is a chemical illness of the body, every bit as real
as diabetes is a chemical illness caused by lack of insulin; a diabetic would be
foolish if they refused to take their insulin or tablet treatment that keeps
them from falling ill.
Do confide in a friend or professional your problems, worries and secret
fears, but the problem and the solution both lie in the realm of the brain's
chemistry.
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REMEMBER!
They
NEVER cause addiction - NEVER!
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With
Thanks to
Dr.
Bernard Shevlin
a General Practitioner from Tean,
Staffs
