Forward House Community Society
|
Forward House Community Society
|
|
|
DEPRESSION " The act of pressing
down or depressing; the sinking or falling of a surface; the state or feeling of
being depressed in spirits; a sinking of spirits, dejection; a low state of
strength." Depressions may be situational
or reactive, a response to an event or events usually incurring a loss, or it
may be clinical, unrelated to a specific or known trigger. In the former,
counseling is often indicated. In the latter, a combination of counseling
and anti-depressant medication is indicated. Symptoms of depression may resemble
symptoms of stroke or senility, especially those of impaired speech or movement. I MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: This high mortality incidence condition is often preceded by other conditions of depression and often co-exists with substance related disorders, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, eating disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder, and with medical conditions including cancer and stroke. Its onset is usually in mid-twenties and may occur in a single episode or recurring episodes. It can occur in 5%-9% of women and 2%-3% of men, regardless of ethnicity, income or marital status. It may run in families. II DYSTHYMIA: This is a chronically depressed mood, which may be described as irritability in children. There may be accompanying poor appetite/overeating, insomnia/hypersomnia, low energy, fatigue, poor self esteem, poor concentration, and feelings of hopelessness. Individuals may see themselves as uninteresting or incapable. The may lose interest or pleasure, show decreased productivity, withdraw socially, and have feelings of anger or guilt. Dysthymia may be associated with Major Depression and/or certain personality disorders. It occurs in children equally among boys and girls. Adult women are 2-3 times more likely to develop this condition than men. It occurs in 3%-6% of the general population, with onset in childhood or early adolescence. PARTNERS' PERSPECTIVE: 1. " The depression ranges from mild to severe and there is no distinction of passing through stages; it just happens. You're feeling low, doing things but with no real interest. You try going for walks and being around people, but you feel as though you are just coping. Everything is very negative with a few sunny spots. You're more impatient with family than usual over present and past events. You feel anger and start to blame more, beginning to isolate from family, always feeling low. You can be in this stage for a very long time. Self-worth and energy are both very low. The severe stage is when you no longer cry or laugh, even if you want to. Everything is blown way out of proportion, molehills become mountains. You always feel overwhelmed, unable to do simple tasks. You may or may not get out of bed. You have no concentration, so watching TV or reading a book are out of the question. I become agoraphobic, agitated, not able to sit still. But not in every severe episode. Family becomes a lifeline. You start to come back, then go back down again. The stigma of mental illness does not help build up self esteem.: 2. " As a woman who has been depressed since my...pre-teens, I have seen a variety of doctors and had many treatments, finally getting to the point of trusting that person, only to be told they couldn't see me any more or their supervisor felt I was improving so my file was closed. Wrong way to deal with me. I know from my experiences in the past 2 years that my depression can stay with me for months, or be there as long as I will it to be there. " I moved recently, and found this experience to be very therapeutic in many ways. But the best, I guess, is how I now deal with my depression. I belong to FORWARD HOUSE, a program based on the partnership model. In this program, staff, members, volunteers and families all have a say in what happens on a daily basis. The house is open 7 days a week. It is open 2 evenings for supper and time to socialize. This program and the people who look after it, and other people like myself, have taught me a lot. I have always been a giving person, so I give back in thanks to the program by being a speaker on a Partners-in-Education program. This involves speaking at local schools, classes of future social workers, community care workers and nurses.
|
|
Send mail to webmaster@forwardhouse.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|