Most of us have had some experience with depression, if not personally, then through a friend or loved one. This condition is usually characterized by a slowing down of physical and mental activity, though restlessness; anxiety and agitation may be present. Sufferers may initially feel fatigued, out of sorts and have a desire to isolate themselves.

According to Demetri Papolos. MD, in his book "Overcoming Depression", a definitive cause for depression has yet to be found. He states that researchers have discovered that some people may have a genetic disposition to mood disorders, while others may have a defect in the neurotransmitter system in a specific area of their brain. Prolonged stress and behavioral patterns, such as learned hopelessness, have also been suggested as causative factors. In addition, it is well known that loss of some kind, either by separation or death, can trigger depressive symptoms.

Common symptoms of depression include loss of appetite with weight loss, or increase in appetite with weight gain, sleeping too little or too much, fatigue, loss of pleasure in usual activities, decreased ability to think or concentrate, and feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt. The person's thoughts may progress to contemplation of suicide if the condition is left untreated. Due to the marked effect depression can have on a person's life and relationships it is important that it be recognized early and treated appropriately.

The onset of a chronic condition, such as ST, is sufficient in and of itself to cause a person to become depressed. Couple that with the seemingly endless struggle to figure out what is wrong, coping with symptoms, fighting to be heard, obtaining a diagnosis, feeling alone and it is no wonder ST'rs experience depression. Superimpose other negative life experiences on this situation and we feel much worse. When I listed all the stresses and losses I had experienced before the onset of my depression it became very clear to me why I had become depressed and why I continued to battle with it over the next several years.

Realizing that my depression had become severe enough that it was beyond my ability to help myself took some time. The chronic pain of ST wore me down, and I eventually arrived at the point where if someone didn't provide me with some relief soon, then I thought I indeed might harm myself just to put an end to the misery I was in. Of course, as soon as my Doctor heard this, he prescribed an antidepressant. Taking it was another matter. Accepting that I had a mental health diagnosis was difficult. Being told that I needed to take medication for it was even harder to accept. The one thing that got me over this hump was that I had actually started to feel a little bit better since taking action and seeing my physician. There was a glimmer of hope. In the end I chose to take the medication because I really had no other options and the alternative was unacceptable.

The medication cleared the mental fog, lifted the black cloud, improved my ability to function, and allowed me to take the time I needed to learn the coping skills necessary to deal more effectively with my life. Individual psychotherapy with a therapist skilled in the cognitive-behavioral approach was the route I took for the next four or five months. It was necessary for me to take the same antidepressant on two more occasions in the next four years, the longest being 12 months; the shortest 6 months. Most importantly, I eventually learned to recognize and head off the onset of future depressive symptoms.

Are you depressed? One of the hallmarks of depression is that it is difficult to make a decision and to take action to help ourselves. We don't want to move, to do anything. However, activity is what can make us feel better. We must get moving. Go to your primary care physician to be evaluated for an antidepressant medication. Ask for a referral to a good therapist. Read "Feeling Good" by David Burns, MD.

Then what? Dr. Papolos states that depression is the 'common cold" of mental illness. Being mindful of all the remedies we have for easing the symptoms of the common cold, I offer you some ideas on how to recover from depression.

Self-care is a major factor in recovery. Busy lives in this culture leave little time for nurturing our minds and bodies. Women, in particular, put themselves and their needs at the bottom of the list of priorities. Instead, we must put ourselves first. Get into the habit of asking yourself what you need. My favorite analogy is of a car being unable to run without stopping at the gas station at least once a week and filling up with gas. It also requires periodic tune-ups and oil changes. The same goes for us. We cannot function well if we fail to stop at appropriate fill-up stations regularly to replenish our energy and spirits. Fill-ups may include prayer, meditation, good nutrition, a good quality nutritional supplement taken regularly, drinking at least 8-10 8 oz. glasses of water daily, restful sleep, moderate exercise and regular social activities with family and friends. Tune-ups and oil changes may come in the form of weekends and long vacations away from the stresses of our daily lives. Other priorities may include reconnecting with forgotten dreams and goals and taking steps to achieve them. Helping others in the community may take us out of our own troubles, placing our focus on their needs. Volunteering at a homeless shelter may be a life-changing experience for you as it was for me.

Another important factor in healing depression is learning about ourselves and our feelings. This may begin as written exercises in a journal. I began by just "stream of consciousness" writing in a notebook. I wrote whatever was on my mind with no regard for punctuation, writing until there were no more words to write. Then, exhausted, I put it away, and went to bed. The next day when I was able, I read what I had written. A major revelation to me in their exercise was that my parents were alcoholics. People ask me to this day how I could not know this. All I can tell you is that I was not consciously aware of it. The only explanation I have is that drinking is such an accepted part of Australian culture that I never connected with the fact that it may actually have been alcoholism. This insight was very significant because it lead me to the Adult Children of Alcoholics organization, their literature, support groups, and eventually profound healing.

I discovered yet another healing exercise when I followed an urge to "feel" again, to rekindle life in myself by awakening my senses. I felt dead inside and thought that feeling anything at all would be progress in the right direction. My favorite thing to do soon became going outside. This was the exact opposite of what I had been doing which was remaining in the house with the curtains down. I sat in the sun and felt the warmth on my skin. I listened to bird songs. I tried to identify different sounds. I sat and watched the sunset until it was gone from sight. At first all I could do was sit. But after a while when I began to feel better, I became more active. I lay on my back in the grass and tried to see shapes in the clouds. If it was raining, I walked in the rain and turned my face up to catch the raindrops. I took my shoes off and stood in mud puddles letting the mud squeeze through my toes. I dug in the moist earth with my bare hands, felt the different textures and smelled the earth's mustiness. I walked along the hills and felt the wind blowing in my hair. I stopped whenever I saw flowers and drank in their fragrance. Slowly I healed.

If you are depressed I encourage you to be hopeful and to take baby steps. Treat yourself like a piece of priceless porcelain. Go to the doctor and be appraised. Put yourself on a pedestal. Bask in the sunshine. Bathe in scented waters. Cuddle your cat. Doze in the daytime. Be frank with your feelings. Gaze at a Gauguin. Hug your hubby. Kiss your kids. Laugh at Lucy. Listen to lullabies. Move to Mozart. Put pencil to paper. Read Robert Burns. Serve lunch and your smile at a local soup kitchen. Talk on the telephone. View Venus through a telescope. Walk in the woods. Appreciate the beauty Mother Nature surrounds us with. Cherish your own beauty and what you have to offer the world. Allow loved ones and friends to help out. Take heart, find hope, find joy, and heal.

Sue Glass, MS, RNC

Granmuzzer@aol.com

.