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depression: how do you know?
what can you do?
A lot of us remember Roy G. Biv from grade
school. He wasn’t a classmate – the name was
used to help us remember the color spectrum in the rainbow: red,
orange, yellow, green, and so on. When we talk about the signs of
depression, it is similar to a spectrum. How do we decide just when
red blurs into orange? How do we know when a friend is “just
down” or clinically depressed? As we review the signs of depression,
remember that these symptoms occur on a continuum. All of us feel
sad and blue at times. All of us have times that we just can’t
concentrate. Two questions to keep in mind are:
1 Have these signs lasted
for more than a couple of weeks?
2 How many of the symptoms does this person have?
MOOD: When a person is depressed,
life may seem hopeless. She may lose sight of her own worth or he
may feel helpless to change negative circumstances in his life.
A sense of sadness permeates his or her perspective on life.
ANHEDONIA: You can see the root word “hedonism”
within this word. A hedonist seeks pleasure, thinking it is the
greatest good. Someone who is depressed, on the other hand, loses
the ability to experience pleasure. Anhedonia means that an activity
that used to be fun is not enjoyable anymore. A friend may think
that rollerblading isn’t fun anymore or may pull back from
a hobby that you used to enjoy together. If he or she doesn’t
seem to be replacing these activities with other activities, then
it might be that depression is involved.
There are other signs that point to depression: disturbances
in sleep and appetite, loss of energy and decreases in being able
to pay attention and concentrate. Difficulties with substance abuse
can add to the impact of depression. In about 20% of depressive
episodes, the person begins to have thoughts about suicide. If you
notice that someone you know has these signs of depression, then
tell an adult that you trust. Letting someone know is a sign of
true friendship, and various treatments can help your friend find
joy in life once again
Originally Published: September 2003
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