The Science Behind Depression and FAQs

The following information about the causes of depression comes from
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depression/causesofdepression/index.cfm

 

BIOCHEMICAL

Our knowledge of the human brain is still fairly limited, therefore we do not really know what actually happens in the brain to cause depression.

It’s likely that with most instances of clinical depression, neurotransmitter function is disrupted. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry signals from one part of the brain to the next. There are many neurotransmitters, serving different purposes, however three important ones that affect a person’s mood are serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine.

In normal brain function, neurotransmitters jump from one nerve cell to the next, with the signal being as strong in the second and subsequent cells as it was in the first. However, in people who are depressed, the mood regulating neurotransmitters fail to function normally, so that the signal is either depleted or disrupted before passing to the next nerve cell.

In all depressions, it is likely that the transmission of serotonin is reduced or disrupted, whereas in people with melancholic and psychotic depression, other neurotransmitter pathways such as those for noradrenaline and dopamine are also likely to be functioning abnormally.

GENETICS

While depression is popularly considered to be due to life experiences and/or personality factors, there is in fact, strong evidence for significant genetic predisposition towards developing depression.

Studies of twins have confirmed that depression can be inherited. The genetic risk of developing clinical depression is about 40%, with the remaining 60% being due to factors in the individual’s own environment. Depression is unlikely to occur without life events, but the risk of developing depression as a result of some such event is strongly genetically determined. It is unlikely that any one contributing gene will be identified.

While the genetic risk to depression is now being clarified, the specific genes and traits inherited are yet to be identified. It may be that some of the genetic risk is to melancholic depression and, as well, to certain personality ‘styles’ that increase the chance of developing non-melancholic depression.

Relevant to this, there have been a number of reports of genes associated with particular personality characteristics. For example, genes have been identified that seem to be associated with novelty-seeking behaviour, and others that are linked to high anxiety levels (e.g the short arm of the SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER gene).

Though the genetics of depression are complex and progress is be expected to be slow, identification of genes that predispose a person to depression is a strong and growing area of research.

STRESS

It is important to recognise that nearly every individual can be stressed and depressed by certain events. Most people experience a rapid ‘spontaneous’ resolution within days or weeks. Some do not – so that the depression persists – with the ‘stress’ either maintaining the process or having initiated processes that will not simply be resolved by ‘the passage of time’.

Past and long-standing stresses (called distal stressors) can increase the chance of an individual developing depression in later years. The most clearly established past stressor is that of an uncaring parent or an abusive parent. The lack of parental care may result in the child developing a low self-esteem and thus being vulnerable to develop depression in adult life. The death of a parent in childhood does not appear to be a distinct stressor – it may cause depression at the time but it does not necessarily lead to depression in adulthood in any direct way.

Most individuals who develop non-melancholic depression usually describe an important and understandable life event that occurred before the depression started. The events that are most likely to ‘trigger’ depression are ones where the individual’s self-esteem is put at risk, compromised or devalued. For most adults, self-esteem is closely linked to an intimate relationship as well as in other important areas, such as a job. Thus, the break-up of a relationship or a marriage or loss of job are a very common triggers for depression. Other individuals develop depression when they feel a sense of ‘shame’, such as when they feel that they have not lived up to their own or others’ expectations, thus reducing their self-esteem. Identifying and understanding the meaning of the life event stressor can be all-important in assisting the individual to recover from the episode. The impact of life events upon melancholic depression is not always clear. They may serve to may trigger the depression – or rekindle it – rather than cause it.

Stress contributes to depression either by:

• Its severity – so that you may feel under ‘too much stress’ – in which case stress management programs (such as our myCompass program) may be helpful; or
• Its ‘salience’ or particular meaning to you – so that a particular event or set of circumstances is likely to trigger stress in you and may do so repeatedly if re-exposed to those triggers – in which case it can be helpful to seek sophisticated counselling or psychotherapy to identify what those triggers are and why they produce the stress reaction

1. What are the signs of depression?

The following are a list of the features that may be experienced by someone with depression.

• Lowered self-esteem
• Change in sleep patterns
• Change in mood control
• Varying emotions throughout the day
• Change in appetite and weight
• Reduced ability to enjoy things
• Reduced ability to tolerate pain
• Reduced sex drive
• Suicidal thoughts
• Impaired concentration and memory
• Loss of motivation and drive
• Increase in fatigue
• Change in movement
• Being out of touch with reality.

Note that, having one or other of these features, by themselves, is unlikely to indicate that someone is clinically depressed. Also, having these features for only a short period (of less than two weeks) is unlikely to indicate clinical depression. It’s also important to know that many of the above features could be caused by or related to other things, such as a physical illness, the effects of medications, or stress. Help in coming to such decisions should be assisted by a proper assessment by a trained professional.

2. How depressed should I be before I seek help?

Everybody feels down or sad at times. But it’s important to be able to recognise when depression has become more than a temporary thing, and when to seek help.

As a general rule of thumb, if your feelings of depression persist for most of every day for two weeks or longer, and interfere with your ability to manage at home and at work or school, then a depression of such intensity and duration may require treatment, and should certainly benefit from assessment by a skilled professional.

3. What should I do if I’m feeling (or someone close to me is feeling) suicidal?

• See the list of emergency contact numbers (and add the numbers of your General Practitioner and your local Community Mental Health Service) and keep a copy handy somewhere. Don’t hesitate to call one of them if in need of help
• Recognise that having suicidal thoughts is one of the features of depression, and seek help, either from your General Practitioner or another mental health professional such as a psychologist or a counsellor. Make sure you tell them you have been having suicidal thoughts
• If you have already received treatment for depression, and you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the person who has been giving you the treatment, or a close friend who you trust, and tell them you are feeling suicidal
• If someone close to you is suicidal or unsafe, talk to them about it and encourage them to seek help. Help the person to develop an action plan, involving him or her and trusted close friends or family members, to keep him or her safe in times of emergency
• Take away risks, make sure you or the person who are concerned for is in a safe environment.

4. Am I always going to feel like this?

This is a common fear. It’s important to know that it will pass. Depression can be successfully treated and that you will feel better in time and with the right treatment.

5. How long doe depression last?

 

Sometimes depression goes away of its own accord, but, depending on the nature and type of the depression, it may take many months and possibly considerable suffering and disruption if left untreated. Allow yourself to seek help in the same way you might if you had a physical illness.

6. How is depression treated?

There are a large number of different treatments for depression. At the Black Dog Institute we believe that different types of depression respond best to different treatments and it is therefore important that a thorough and thoughtful assessment be carried out before any treatment is prescribed.

Treatments can fall into the following categories:

Physical treatments, comprising :

• drug treatments, of which there are three main groups: antidepressants, tranquillisers, and mood stabilizers.
• electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – a physical therapy that may be relevant in a minority of cases of psychotic depression, severe melancholia or life-threatening mania.
• transcranial magnetic stimulation – a treatment that is still under development, but which involves holding a coil near to a patient’s head and creating a magnetic field to stimulate relevant parts of the brain.

Psychological treatments, the most common ones being:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – a form of therapy that aims to show people how their thinking affects their mood and to teach them to think in a less negative (and more ‘realistic’) way about life and themselves.
• Interpersonal Therapy – a therapy that aims to help people understand how social functioning (work, relationships and social roles) and personality operate in their lives to affect their mood.
• Psychotherapy – an extended treatment aimed at exploring aspects of the person’s past in great depth to identify links to the current depression.
• Counselling – a broad set of approaches and goals that provide problem solving and learning skills to cope with difficult life circumstances.

7. Where can I get help for depression?

A good first place to start in getting help is to visit your local General Practitioner. Let him or her know if you think you might have depression. Your General Practitioner will either conduct an assessment of you to find out whether you have depression, or refer you to someone else, such as a psychiatrist or a psychologist.

Depending on the nature of your depression, your General Practitioner may recommend some psychological intervention, such as cognitive behaviour therapy or interpersonal therapy, and might prescribe antidepressant medication to relieve some of the symptoms of depression.

Because depression is a common experience these days, many General Practitioners are used to dealing with depression and other mental health problems. Some General Practitioners take a special interest in mental health issues and undergo additional training in the area. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your own doctor, find another one with whom you do feel comfortable. It is important that you feel comfortable talking about how you are feeling with your doctor so they have as much information to help you as possible.

If you are having trouble tracking down such a General Practitioner, you could telephone general practices in your area to find out whether any doctors in that practice have a particularly strong interest in mental health and, if so, whether they are taking on new patients. (Ask to speak to the practice manager.)

Psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors are other professionals trained to provide help for depression and mood disorders. You will need a referral from your doctor to see a psychiatrist (and this will either eliminate or reduce costs).

Social workers, occupational therapists and registered nurses are also trained in mental health.

Find out more about consulting a professional.

8. How should I behave with someone who is depressed?

Someone with a depressive illness is like anyone with an illness – they require our care. You can provide better care if you are able to:

• Understand something about the illness
• Understand what the treatment is, why it is being given, and how long the person is expected to take to recover.

An important part of caring is to help the treatment process:

• If medication is prescribed encourage the person to persist with treatment (especially when there are side effects)
• Counselling or psychotherapy often results in the depressed person ‘thinking over’ their life and relationships. While this can be difficult for all concerned, you should not try and steer the person away from these issues.
• A resolving depression sometimes sees strong emotions released which may be hard on the carer. The first step in dealing with these fairly is to sort out which emotions really refer to the carer and which refer to other people or to the person themselves.
• Treatment has a positive time as well – when the person starts to re-engage with the good things in life and carers can have their needs met as well.

Don’t forget that as a carer you too are likely to be under stress. Depression and hopelessness have a way of affecting the people around them. Therapy can release difficult thoughts and emotions in carers too. So part of caring is to care for your own self – preventing physical run-down and dealing with the thoughts and emotions within yourself.

People in Crisis

Today I am posting from the heart.  In the last 2 days I have heard and seen cries for help.  It seems so many people are experiencing depression more frequently.

I praise God for the healthy condition I am in now.  But if I am not vigilant in my coping skills, I WILL slip back into my condition.

Depression is a terrible condition.  If you can trace your sadness to an event you can deal with it.  But that is not how depression works.  If you can trace it to an event and can’t get over the event, depression may be at work.

Everyone needs to know they are not alone.  And those who do not suffer need to quit with the stigma.  Depression is a physiological issue.  It occurs when there is not enough serotonin in the brain.  Most people refer to this as a chemical imbalance, but I like to break it down so others know exactly what that means.

I believe the cause of all of this is our lives are so stressful.  We have too many things in our lives that keep us in a high state of adrenaline and that messes with our brain.  We lose sight of what makes us happy.  We forget how to just sit still and do nothing.

I remember growing up cherishing the moments of just being laid back.  Everything started piling on in my adulthood and that’s when my condition developed.

So what is the answer?

You first need to be evaluated by a physician.  Some people don’t like the idea of going on meds.  But you can go on meds temporarily to allow yourself to develop healthy coping skills and ways of dealing with stress.

Next, TEACH YOURSELF how to not let things get to you.  Zen philosophy will help with this.

Then, learn to meditate and just sit still.  Again, Zen philosophy will help.

I just found this site that explains why Buddhist philosophy can help.  I know what you’re thinking.  “But I’m a Christian”.  Budda was a teacher.  The things he taught DO NOT conflict with the teachings of Jesus Christ.  I personally feel Budda was enlightened by God to teach this philosophy.

Buddhism and Mental Illness

Finally, I am including places to go to learn how to deal with your depression and who to call if you are in a crisis.  My prayer is that all people who are suffering will find peace.

http://www.nami.org             This is the National Alliance for Mental Illness
http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/      This is a site that teaches coping skills and meditation techniques
http://www.mhagc.org/                   This is the site for the Greenville County crisis line.  The phone number is on the site.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/   This is the site for the national mental health crisis line

 

Crisis Coping Skill – Distress Tolerance

 

The following comes from the website Get Self Help at http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/distresstolerance.htm.

I copied it here because it’s easier to read.

Tomorrow I will post on Mindfulness.  It’s a hard skill to learn but once you do it’s amazing what you can use it for.

 

Distress Tolerance

Distress Tolerance skills are used when we are unable, unwilling, or it would be inappropriate to change a situation.  It’s important to use the right skills at the right time.  In order to change a situation or emotion, we would use Emotion Regulation skills. 

Distress Tolerance skills are used to help us cope and survive during a crisis, and helps us tolerate short term or long term pain (physical or emotional pain).

Tolerating distress includes a mindfulness of breath and mindful awareness of situations and ourselves.

Radical Acceptance

Acceptance means being willing to experience a situation as it is, rather than how we want it to be.  Not to be willing (wilfulness) means trying to impose our will on a situation.  A willingness to accept things as they are, not as we think they should be.

Repeatedly ‘turning the mind’.  To be in the actual situation you are in, rather than the situation you think you’re in, or think you should be in.  Your mind is always going to give you other ideas, interpretations, reminding you of old strategies.  Each time your mind wanders and you notice these other thoughts and images, simply bring your attention back to this moment.  Not judging the situation to be good, or bad, or in any way.  Simply bringing your attention back to this moment, this situation, and being effective in this situation.

You may need to ‘turn your mind’ many many times in a short space of time.

What Radical Acceptance is NOT:

• Not judging the situation to be good
• Not giving permission for the situation to go on forever
• Not giving up your options

 

It can help to use memory aids to remind us of how we can help ourselves during distressing times:

 IMPROVE  the moment

I          Imagery – e.g. safe place visualisation

M         find Meaning in the situation

P         Prayer – meditation, spirituality, affirmations

R         Relaxation

O         One thing at a time

V         Vacation – take some time out of the situation, ‘me’ time, or imagining

yourself on an idyllic beautiful holiday

E         Encouragement – positive and calming self talk

Wise Mind ACCEPTS

A       Activities (see distraction ideas below)

C       Contributing – helping others

C       Comparisons – comparing self with (better) self

E       Emotions – generate different emotions by watching movie/tv, listening to music etc

P       Pushing away – thinking about or putting our attention onto something else

T        Thoughts – new thoughts.  E.g. counting, playing 10 (10 colours in room,

10 musical instruments, 10 fruits, 10 Bond films etc)

S        Sensations – use seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching senses

 

DISTRACTION IDEAS

Distraction helps us feel better by diverting our attention away from the distressing thoughts.  It works even better if you choose something that will really grab your attention and keep you absorbed in that activity.  Different things work for different people.  It’s worth trying and practising many of those listed, and more that you think of yourself, a few times each before giving up on it.

Home and garden

• Mow the lawn
• Clean the car
• Do some gardening
• De-clutter a room or part of a room
• Purge your wardrobe (give to charity)
• Clear out the spare room (give to charity)
• Sweep the path
• Cooking or baking something pleasurable
• DIY
• Bath the dog
• Brush the cat
• Clean the hutch/cage
• Re-arrange the furniture in one room

Leisure

• Do a crossword or sudoku
• Try out aromatherapy or reflexology
• Visit the hairdresser – try a new style or colour
• Watch television or a DVD
• Play on the computer
• Surf the internet
• Watch the clouds whilst lying outside
• Read a novel or new newspaper or magazine
• Walk or sit on the beach or park

Getting out

• Join a leisure centre or health suite
• Go for a walk or jog
• Get the old cycle out!
• Visit a new church
• Go to the library
• Visit a museum
• Check out what movies are on
• Go to a concert
• Browse an antiques or charity shop
• Find out what free classes are on offer
• Potter around window shopping
• Go out for lunch
• Go to the beach – whatever the weather!
• Learn to drive, or take a trial lesson
• Visit a nursery, garden centre or park
• Visit a tourist attraction
• Walk alongside the sea, river, reservoir or lake
• Take a bus ride somewhere new
• Visit an aquarium or zoo
• Visit a car boot sale
• Visit a nature reserve
• Visit a historical or natural site
• Visit an art exhibition
• Go for a drive

Being creative

• Take up a new hobby
• Learn another language
• Start an evening class
• Write a letter or article for a magazine
• Learn to meditate, do yoga or tai chi
• Start a diary or journal
• Write a short story or poem
• Take up a musical instrument
• Decorate a room, or a piece of furniture
• Paint, draw, sculpt
• Join a dance class
• Surf the internet
• Create a weblog or site
• Sew or knit
• Bake
• Make an ‘emergency’ box for distressing times – put in any small reminder of what helps
• Take photographs
• Make a scrapbook
• Sort out your photos

Self Soothing

• Have an early night
• Eat something you haven’t tried before
• Listen to some favourite (calming or uplifting) music
• Try a new newspaper or magazine
• Have a bath or shower
• Use aromatherapy oils
• Massage your hands or feet
• Write a list of things you have achieved, great and small
• Soak your feet
• Make a list of things that you can be thankful for
• Paint your nails
• Meditate, relax, yoga, tai chi, reiki
• Cuddle a soft toy
• Write a letter to yourself
• Read a letter you’ve written to yourself to read at these times

Making contact with others

• Telephone someone you haven’t spoken to for a while
• Join a self-help group
• Join a civil rights group
• Do some voluntary work
• Write a letter to someone you haven’t written to for a while
• Talk to a friend or family member
• Phone the Samaritans or another helpline
• Join an online support group or discussion forum
• Email a friend

Express yourself physically

• Bang a drum!
• Scream, shout or sing loudly!
• Rip up a phone book or newspaper
• Dance energetically to loud music
• Write – prose, poem, story, music, journal, diary, weblog, whatever comes into your head
• Write a letter to someone, but don’t send it – shred or burn it outside
• Run, walk, cycle, swim, go to the gym
• Paint
• Vacuum enthusiastically
• Kick a ball against a wall
• Punch or kick a cushion or pillow
• Cry

Positive Self-Talk

• I can get through this, I’ve managed before and I can now
• I don’t need to do this, it’ll only make it worse afterwards
• I’ll regret it and feel awful later
• It helps for a few minutes, but then it just makes it worse in the long run
• I don’t want to end up at the hospital again
• I can cope for another hour – I can take one hour at a time
• Positive Affirmations

Coping Skill – The Crisis Box

This is the most amazing and helpful thing you will ever do. And it’s fun putting it together.

– Get a shoe box and on the outside wrap it in some kind of paper that makes you feel happy.
– Find quotes that inspire you and glue them to the paper
– Inside of the box you want to put things in it to sooth, calm, and remind you how awesome you are.
– You can also decorate the inside of the box with pictures, paper, quotes, just let your imagination run wil.

Remember the “Me” book blog. Put it in there first.
Find pictures that you love in there.
Then, put things in there that address your five senses, such as:
– Sight: Something that when you look at it it calms you.
– Sound: A small mp3 player with your favorite music on it, or a small radio
– Taste: Your favorite snack or candy
– Touch: Something that when you touch it it calms you. I used feathers.
– Smell: Something that will keep it’s smell. I like to go to Bed Bath and Beyond or Walmart and choose from their many aroma therapy bottled scents.

But you don’t have to stop there. It’s your box. Whatever makes you happy and calm, put it in there. Keep adding to it. There are rules. It’s only for you. AND, you don’t have to share it with anyone.

So what is the purpose of this box? When we are depressed, stressed, anxious, etc., we loose sight of what we need to do to snap out of it. We don’t know what will work. But then there is that box. You pull it out every and any time you need it.

Create a “ME” Book for Yourself

 

When you are feeling down, you tend to forget about all the good things about yourself.  You tell yourself you are worthless and have nothing to offer.  It’s hard to pull yourself out of this mode.

SO, get yourself a small notepad (and keep it because there is something you will do with it later and it needs to be small).

Write in it these things:

– My Interests
– What I’m Good At
– What Inspires Me
– Your belief system
– Quotes that Inspire Me- My Accomplishments and Awards
– Things I Want to Accomplish
– New Things I Want to Try
– People I Can Go to in a Crisis

Do not tell yourself you have nothing to write.  YOU DO!!!!!  It’s best to work on this when you are feeling upbeat.  When finished, you can go review all the wonderful things about you that your illness makes you forget!

Later, when I blog about the Crisis Box, you can put your notepad in it.

Crisis Mode Coping Skill – Opposite Action

 

I didn’t come up with this.  I learned this.  The coping skills I will be blogging on are from a form of therapy called Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)  developed by Marsha M. Linehan.

Opposite Action is a helpful tool when you are in a crisis or you simply are too depressed to move.

If your mind tells you, “I don’t want to go outside”, before giving it time to procrastinate, get up and GO OUTSIDE.

If you are withdrawing from people, before procrastinating, engage with anyone even if it’s a store clerk.

Take whatever is in your mind and flip it.  Do the opposite.

This takes practice and courage and it is difficult at times.  But when you resolve it in yourself that you are sick of being sick, you will look for to opposite action.  You’ll learn to love it.

Learn more about Opposite Action:  http://dbtselfhelp.com/html/opposite_action.html

Am I alone?

 

 

NO!!  Not by a long shot.  I’ve included a kist of people you may know. I’ve even included people from the Bible.  And this is just a short list.  They all suffer or did suffer from Mental Illness.  Proof positive that Mental Illness does not define an individual.  God gives us the Power to overcome and achieve great things no matter how old we are or how far we have fell.

 

 

 

Abraham Lincoln: perhaps the most respected of U.S. presidents, Abraham Lincoln fought suicidal thoughts caused by bipolar disorder.

Winston Churchill, who is often credited with winning the Second World War, when all the odds were against him and the country of Great Britain, also suffered with bipolar disorder.

Edgar Allan Poe: poet of the 19th century and author, has written dozens of poems, short stories and novels. Known for his dark writings, it is thought to have been afflicted by this disorder.

John Nash, Among the most brilliant and original mathematicians of the twentieth century, had to live with schizophrenia often and for longer periods than thirty years it clouded intelligence and creativity emotionally isolating it from the outside world. After periods of crisis, often following admissions to psychiatric hospitals, Nash returned to do math. Nash is now an octogenarian who still attends the Institute in Princeton, he studied mathematics and still seems cured of disease.

Ludwig van Beethoven. The brilliant composer experienced bipolar disorder

Theodore Roosevelt. This president suffered from bipolar disorder.

Tennessee Williams. The playwright gave a personal account of his struggle with clinical depression in his own Memoirs

Vincent Van Gough. The artist suffered from Bi-Polar disease.

Isaac Newton: Suffered from Bi-Polar disease

Ernest Hemingway: Celebrated author suffered from depression

Sylvia Plath: Author and poet battled lifelong with clinical depression

Michelangelo, artist extraordinaire, suffered from mental illness.

Vivien Leigh, the Gone With the Wind actress suffered from mental illness

Charles Dickens. One of our most celebrated authors suffered from clinical depression

Thelonious Monk, great Jazz musician struggled with mental illness during much of his later career.

Linda Hamilton, actress, suffers from bi-polar disease

Mel Gibson: an actor known and controversial. He admitted suffering from bipolar disorder.

Brooke Shields, actress and model, suffers from depression

Mike Wallace, television Anchorman, suffers from depression

And my personal favorite because I suffer what he suffers…
Brandon Marshall, Football player for the Chicago Bears: suffers and manages Borderline Personality Disorder.
“My pain, resentments, and sadness give me my strength. My strength ruined my mind, body, and soul. I’ve been trapped all my life–not by man or cages, but by my own emotions. Where I have been, what I have seen, when I travel inside myself, can be summed up by one word. Damn!”—Brandon Marshall

Biblical Individuals with Mental Illnesses

King Saul had a number of problems. King Saul started out as a wise, superior leader who started to show unstable thinking over a period of time, due to a number of unfortunate encounters in his life. Saul showed that he possessed several symptoms of manic depression, clinical anxiety, and later on showed to be suicidal.

Nbuchadnezza. Hisituation could fall under the symptoms of Schizophrenia, which are: social withdraw, depersonalization, loss of appetite, loss of hygiene, delusions, and hallucinations. Although Nebuchadnezzar’s symptoms could line up with Schizophrenia, a more closely related mental illness is Boanthropy. The symptoms of Boanthropy are: when the victim believes himself/herself to be an ox, cow, or other animal, pronounced antisocial tendencies, and they prefer the diet of an ox or bull (handfuls grass and water).

Job: Since Job lost everything he had ever own he experienced a great deal of depression. Job experiences a lot of worthlessness (Job 3:11- “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?).  Job accumulated depression because of the situations he experienced. He lost everything he ever possessed; therefore, he filled himself up with empty feelings which led to severe depression.

David: King David is known in the Bible to be a “man after God’s own heart” and yet he still experienced depression. He experienced a lot of guilt which grew into experiencing a lot of other emotions that go along with depression. A numerous amount of his Psalms express what was on his heart and how he wished to die.  King David’s depression was caused from guilt from sins.

Jeremiah experienced depression. In Jeremiah 20:18, Jeremiah states “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow to end my days in shame?”. Jeremiah’s depression was a little different, he felt guilt and shame not only from himself, but from the people around him.

Jonah, wished here were dead.

Elijah wished his life be taken from him. But was renewed by God.

Understanding the Science of Mental Illness

When I was at my lowest, I got so tired of hearing, “You’re weak”, “Your faith isn’t strong enough”, “Suck it up”, “Get over it”….and the list goes on.  Then I educated myself to what was going on.  Here is the best article I have found to explain it all.  A word of caution however, you need a support team of doctors, therapists, support groups, and friends you can turn to.  You also need to work on yourself to develop coping skills.  This is how I got better.  –Krista

The Brain is a complex organ, and its chemistry is not yet fully understood. Researchers do know quite a bit, though, and are adding to that knowledge daily. They know that certain chemicals send impulses across nerve endings to other nerves or muscles or organs. These chemicals are called neurotransmitter

When everything is working smoothly, these neurotransmitters operate efficiently and in correct amounts. When things are not going according to plan, neurotransmitter levels may fluctuate. This is not good. The neurotransmitters of interest here are norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. They’re the neurotransmitters associated with major depression.

• Norepinephrine is also known as noradrenaline. It has a stimulating effect and promotes alertness and a sense of well-being. If norepinephrine is overproduced, fear and anxiety can result.
• Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter for maintaining mental and emotional health. If your serotonin levels drop, due to prolonged stress or illness or malnutrition, depression can follow.
• Dopamine is the precursor to norepinephrine. It’s also a neurohormone (see the next section). Scientists are studying the connection between unbalanced dopamine and schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

Essential

The word neurotransmitter comes from the Latin neuro meaning nerve and transmitto meaning to send across. These neurotransmitters send messages across nerve endings, or synapses.

It may seem strange to think of your brain as a chemistry experiment, but that’s exactly how researchers are approaching the problem. They’re looking at fear and anxiety as chemically induced responses. If they find out that this is indeed true, then discovering the chemistry behind those responses is the first step toward developing medications to alter those chemicals, reducing the fear or anxiety response, and ultimately curing or even preventing the onset of depression. This is exciting terrain for a scientist.

written by

by Karen K. Brees, Ph.D

The Stigma of Mental Illness

 

I am not a healthcare professional.  I am an individual who has the mental illness of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder.  I have been hospitalized many times and through the Grace of God, people have helped me and taught me how to live a normal life.  That is the reason for this blog.  I will post articles relating to this issue each day in May.

 

The text below is from NAMI’s Anti-Stigma Flyer.  Visit NAMI.ORG for valuable resources.

 

– One in five people worldwide have a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives.
– 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions placing mental illness among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.
– Treatment works, but nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental illness never seek help from a health professional.

STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION and NEGLECT prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental illnesses. (World Health Organization Report, October 2001).

Stigma assumes many forms, both subtle and overt. It appears as prejudice and discrimination, fear, distrust, and stereotyping. It prompts many people to avoid working, socializing, and living with people who have a mental disorder. Stigma impedes people from seeking help for fear the confidentiality of their diagnosis or treatment will be
breached.

“For our Nation to reduce the burden of mental illness, to improve access
to care, and to achieve urgently needed knowledge about the brain, mind and
behavior, STIGMA must no longer be tolerated”
(U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on
Mental Health, 1999)

What are Mental Illnesses?

I am not a healthcare professional.

I am an individual who has the mental illness of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder.

I have been hospitalized many times and through the Grace of God, people have helped me and taught me how to live a normal life.

That is the reason for this blog.  I will post articles relating to this issue each day in May.

 

The following is a page clip from the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI.org)

 

What is Mental Illness: Mental Illness Facts

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.

Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.

In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery.

Here are some important facts about mental illness and recovery:

• Mental illnesses are serious medical illnesses. They cannot be overcome through “will power” and are not related to a person’s “character” or intelligence. Mental illness falls along a continuum of severity. Even though mental illness is widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion-about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 Americans-who live with a serious mental illness. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that One in four adults-approximately 57.7 million Americans-experience a mental health disorder in a given year
• The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 10 percent of children and adolescents in the United States suffer from serious emotional and mental disorders that cause significant functional impairment in their day-to-day lives at home, in school and with peers.
• The World Health Organization has reported that four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders. By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children.
• Mental illness usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.
• Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives; The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States.
• The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports.
• With appropriate effective medication and a wide range of services tailored to their needs, most people who live with serious mental illnesses can significantly reduce the impact of their illness and find a satisfying measure of achievement and independence. A key concept is to develop expertise in developing strategies to manage the illness process.
• Early identification and treatment is of vital importance; By ensuring access to the treatment and recovery supports that are proven effective, recovery is accelerated and the further harm related to the course of illness is minimized.
• Stigma erodes confidence that mental disorders are real, treatable health conditions. We have allowed stigma and a now unwarranted sense of hopelessness to erect attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery. It is time to take these barriers down.

To find out more about specific illnesses visit the By Illness page.

Get more Mental Illness: Facts and Numbers from NAMI’s Fact Sheet.