INFORMATION ON DEPRESSION
Depression means a state of mind, in which one feels bad and anxious and finds the
whole life desperate. When a person is depressed, he/she is hardly able to take delight in
anything. A depressed person has difficulties to start doing something and he/she
becomes easily tired. Decision taking is often difficult as well as concentration on
studying or reading.
A person suffering of depression has difficulties to sleep. Waking up in the early hours is
common. Sometimes falling asleep is hard or sleep may be light and disconnected. Or
excessive sleeping may be a symptom of depression. Lack of appetite and loss of weight
may also be linked to depression or sometimes a depressed person may eat too much.
A depressed person is often peevish and may have difficulties to stay in others'
company. Excessive feeling of guilt may also be usual. Thaughts linked to death and
suicide are common by a person suffering of depression. Various physical pains like
headache, muscular pains, stomach- and backache are usual and they do not have any
organic cause.
What does cause depression?
Depression starts in situations with great changes in life. Depression may be preceded by
a situation, in which one has to abandon important close people or things like a job or a
flat. Sometimes depression comes from situations, in which one should cope with great
challenges, but resources seem to be insufficient. Such challenges can be, for example,
moving to a new place, adapting a new culture and learning a new language.
Some people get more easily depressed than others. That can come from genetic factors
or characteristics. Depression can also be connected to changes in cerebration. Generally
those changes are recovered and normalized once depression has been overcome.
How is depression treated?
In case of long lasting depression that handicaps everyday activities, it is good to look
for help. You can discuss about it with your nurse or doctor, for example. Sometimes it
is good to speak about it with people who are close to you. An individual suffering of
depression constantly has a feeling of guilt because of his/her state, which increases
depression. At the beginning, it is better to calm down and give oneself time to recover.
A depressed oerson often has difficulties to resolve big problems and it is even better to
postpone their solution, if it is possible. Recovery from depression takes time. Generally
it takes several weeks, even months.
Therapy of discussions consist to talk with the attending doctor or nurse in order to
clarify and calm down the situation. To speak about problems and difficulties often helps
even though there is no immediate solution to them. Later on when the situation is calm, it
is possible to discuss more in details about the factors of stress and losses and think on
various means of coping and alternatives of solution. Through discussions it is often
possible to find new ways to see the problems of life, the ways of behaving and thinking
and relations with other people. The aim is to allow the individual to recover his/her own
resources.
Medical treatment often speeds up recovery from depression. Medicaments used to treat
depression are safe and do not produce addiction. The effects of medical treatment on
mood and symptoms appear only in 2 - 4 weeks after the beginning of medication. Even
after recovery it is good to continue medical treatment, because at the end of medication
symptoms easily came back. Medical treatment usually takes from six months to one year
and medicine must be taken regularly every day during the period of treatment. As to
interrupting medication, it is adviced to discuss about it with the attending physician.
At the beginning of medication, there may be some side effects. The most usual side
effects are nausea, headache, increase of sweating, stomachache and weariness.
Generally side effects are light and disappear in a few days, when the organism gets used
to the medicine. Sometimes it is necessary to change the medicine, if the side effects are
too complicated or if the medicine does not help. As to eventual side
effects, it is good to talk about them with the attending doctor. Moreover, in addition to
medicaments for depression, it may be necessary to take temporarily medicines that help
sleeping or reduce anxiety.
If you need more information on depression or its treatment, you can consult your nurse
or doctor.
This information sheet was prepared by a specialist in psychiatry, Tapio Halla, who
works in the Therapy Group for Immigrants of the Tampere Mental Health Centre.
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