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About Clinical Depression
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DBSA-Attleboro provides support groups for people diagnosed with either clinical depression or bipolar disorder. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), our parent organization, reports that depression is a treatable illness involving an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. It is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. You can’t make yourself well by trying to "snap out of it." Although it can run in families, you can’t catch it from someone else. The direct causes of the illness are unclear, however it is known that body chemistry can bring on a depressive disorder, due to experiencing a traumatic event, hormonal changes, altered health habits, the presence of another illness or substance abuse.
Some Symptoms of Depression
- Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells
- Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns
- Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
- Pessimism, indifference
- Loss of energy, persistent lethargy
- Low self esteem
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness
- Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness
- Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Sense of impending doom or disaster
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Types of Depression
The following information on types of clinical depression is from DBSA:
People who have major depressive disorder have had at least one major depressive episode – five or more symptoms for at least a two-week period. For some people, this disorder is recurrent, which means they may experience episodes every so often – once a month, once a year, or several times throughout their lives.
Dysthymia is a chronic, moderate type of depression. People with dysthymia usually suffer from poor appetite or overeating, insomnia or oversleeping, and low energy or fatigue. People with dysthymia are often unaware that they have an illness because their functioning is usually not greatly impaired. They go to work and mange their lives, but are frequently irritable and often complaining about stress.
Key Facts About Depression- In any given year depression affects up to 20 million Americans, or 10 percent of the adult population.
- Women are twice as likely as men to experience major depression: One in four women, as opposed to one in eight men, are likely to experience a mood disorder in their lifetime.
- Two out of three people with mood disorders do not get proper treatment because their symptoms are not recognized, blamed on personal weakness, or misdiagnosed.
- When properly treated, 80 percent of people with clinical depression can be helped.
- People with untreated severe depression have a suicide rate of about 15 percent.
- Many DBSA-Attleboro members employ a mix of proper medication, good therapy, and the peer support and education offered by groups such as DBSA-Attleboro to manage their depressive illness.
- Medication regimes can vary widely, and many of our members take a combination of meds to treat their disorder.
- A wide variety and combination of medications may be used to treat depressive disorders. Examples include SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxal, Celexa, and Lexapro or medications with different actions such as Effexor, Wellbutrin, and Remeron. Older medications include tricyclics, such as desipramine or imipramine, and MAO inhibitors, which require careful attention to dietary restrictions. Mood stabilizers such as Lithium and Depakote may also be employed.
Take a confidential screening for clinical depression
or send us an e-mail !
