Depression

Like any disorder or sickness, a depression feels different to everyone.

But the following symptoms can be signs of a depression – especially when they prevail for more than 2 weeks:

• • A gloomy mood, a permanent sadness, or even the feeling of not feeling anything – perhaps without a specific reason
  • A lack of interest for things that are normally important to you or the person you are concerned about – hobbies, friends, favourite music
  • A lack of energy or constant tiredness that make basic daily activities difficult to manage
  • Problems to concentrate
  • Being overwhelmed with things that are normally not much of a problem – be it tasks or social contacts; maybe going so far that one becomes anxious about these situations, or of the future in general
  • The feeling of being without worth or use to anyone
  • A lack of self confidence in general, but especially in areas where one would normally feel very secure, or even draw confidence from
  • A lack of appetite
  • Problems related to sleep – either not being able to fall asleep, or problems to sleep through

By the way, there are people who suffer from a depression who feel strong mood swings. This means there might be times where they seem “as always” and feel perfectly fine. Furthermore, it is quite common to, for example, feel better in the evenings. However, these mood swings do not make the bad phases any better or less intense.

Not everyone who experiences one or more of these symptoms is automatically depressed; and, as you can see, the symptoms vary drastically. But: it is important to keep an eye on the mental wellbeing of you, your friends, and your family – observe and recognize unusual changes in mood and behaviour and take changes which seem to last seriously. Talking about your feelings and trying to help is always better than looking away. Being tired, sad, or without appetite is never pleasant – whether this is due to a mental disorder or not. But there are ways to deal with these feelings.

Pay attention to the following symptoms in yourself or someone close, take them seriously and act immediately:

• • Distance from daily life and emotions, maybe a lack of energy to leave bed at all, or to manage daily life
  • Strong feelings of guilt or maybe even self-loathing
  • Recurring thoughts and talks about death and suicide

A depression is a psychological – which means mental – illness. But it affects the body too, or, more specifically: the brain

Just what happens in the brain you'll get to read very soon!

Just as with bodily diseases, the affected person can’t really influence whether she or he will “get sick”, and how she or he will cope with the new situation. Oftentimes, either a traumatic event or just a very difficult phase of life is the initial cause to a depression. A lot of stress is also a very common cause for a depression – especially when it is constant, and one does not feel any relief or knows how to cope with it. Some people suffer from a depression without a specific cause – sometimes it seems to happen “just like that”. In the end, all of us can do better to care about our own and other’s mental health; and all of us can improve in talking about mental health.

Our perception and interpretation of the world around us is highly influenced by the communication between cells within our brain. For this communication, nature has developed so called neurotransmitters: chemicals that bridge the signals coming from one cell and going to another. During a depression, neurobiological changes happen in the brain that make this communication work differently, or malfunction. This has the direct effect of turning the affected persons´ emotional world upside down, and they perceive the world differently. An affected person feels an immense inner chaos that overwhelms her or him. Of course, this affects their reactions to the outer world and the people close to them: they might be very distanced or rejecting, have no patience, or seem constantly sad and unhappy.

Mithilfe einer professionellen Therapie kann ein richtiger Umgang mit den Symptomen erlernt oder mithilfe von Medikamenten die Funktionen im Körper und Gehirn unterstützt werden. Trotzdem gibt es unterschiedliche Formen der Depression, die sich besonders in ihrem Verlauf

unterscheiden:

1. 1. The depression appears just once, and the affected person will be free of it after therapy
      
   2. After the depression was treated in therapy, it is weaker but never truly gone
      
   3. The depression comes back just as strongly as the first time after therapy
      
   4. The person is always slightly depressed but does not suffer from a full-blown depression
      
   5. The person is always slightly depressed and experiences a depression – therapy will bring back the earlier permanent state of slight depression
      
   6. A chronic depression that never goes away
      

Understanding the different routes a depression can take might help to understand one’s own situation and needs in order to find the most suitable therapy. In any case, it is important to see a depression as similar to any other illness. This means it needs time, patience, and support – and fall backs are just as much part of it as any little achievement.

It can very well happen that a person suffering from a depression starts to draw away from the people close to her or him. The affected person might want to be left alone – or she or he fears to not be accepted any longer due to their issues and their seemingly chaotic feelings. That’s why it is important to not put any extra pressure on someone with a depression; nor to try to make their fears seem small. What actually helps are people who listen – be it friends, family or any other close ones – who are there for them and who encourage and assist them to maybe get the help they need from a professional therapist.

Do you need help with the first step? Whether you are affected yourself and need to entrust your feelings to someone, or if you want to help a friend or a family member: here you will find tips on how to start a conversation about these difficult topics.

And then: Therapy? How a therapy looks like, how much time it needs, and what it does to help you or the person you are concerned about you will find here

You have decided to seek help for yourself or someone close, and you ask yourself where to find support? Firstly: You should know that there are many different points of possible contact and various professionals to work with. It is important to first find out which path individually suits best.

This is why a good first step is to talk to your general practitioner. As with a therapist, because of the pledge of secrecy, everything you tell them remains confidential and will not leave the room you are in. Of course, you may also bring a friend of a family member.