Enduring The Ordeals Of Depression

 

Anyone who has ever suffered from depression knows that the difficulties are far more than the actual illness. Misinformation, stigma, and bias surrounding depression only compound the suffering of those who are just trying to live a normal lifestyle, get vital healthcare and make a decent living.

Untold millions of people in North America suffer from the debilitating symptoms of depression. This illness has become epidemic. Many people don't know they have depression, or are unsure if they do. Many will not be diagnosed properly or treated. However, they will still suffer the consequences. Many will have suffered from diagnostic delays or errors, even if they are successful in being diagnosed. Many sufferers who are not able to recover from herbalsonlineshopee their illness will be offered treatment that is ineffective. Sometimes the treatment is not appropriate for the individual or is less than optimal. A caregiver may not know of a better treatment or be trained in its use.

It's impossible to know the exact number but it is likely that less than half of those suffering from depression will be able to overcome all the obstacles and receive the support they need.

They are still not at home, not even close. They will likely have experienced the stigmatizing effects of depression and the widespread ignorance that comes with it, most often through discrimination at work or in their health care. They may lose their job or multiple jobs. They won't be able to find work. They will not be able to find work. They will have to take disability leave. They will lose their income after the disability coverage ends. They will run out of medical insurance benefits. They won't be able to pay for medical care. They will regret not having "physical" coverage. They'll wonder what the difference is. They will feel like they are being ripped from society. They will be right.

They are castoffs. As if this weren't enough, victims of depression are often blamed for their illness. It seems that everyone should be capable of managing it. Everyone has bad days. "Suck it up!" Stop dwelling on your grief. They suffer from an illness society can't or won't understand, just like the lepers of old.

Inadequate Opportunities

Apart from the obvious moral problem that it is wrong to abandon or exclude such victims, there are also medical, economic, and social issues. Depression can be severe and even fatal, but it's often temporary. If treated correctly, victims can recover and regain their normal lives. This could mean regaining the life, job, and family they had or aspired for. Then they could be fully functioning and productive members of society. They need to be given the chance to regain normalcy.

Many people recover from depression and other mood disorders. Depression can feel like terminal cancer, but in the best cases it should not be. You are temporarily incapacitated, receive effective treatment, have time to heal and then you return to your normal life, whether that's your work, your family or your community. Ideal. This happens all the time. Many victims of depression lose their jobs, can't keep their marriages or relationships together, and can't afford to own their homes. They can, with the right treatment and opportunities. Employers today are impatient and cost-conscious and won't allow victims to stay in the system for an unreasonable amount of time. Employers routinely turn their backs to people with mood disorders. This only makes it worse for victims whose already depressing and hopeless state can only get worse if they are jobless.

Depression and its Cost

Let's move on to the economics. It's the most powerful argument of our time. The economic consequences of mistreatment of depression (both medical and social) have reached an all-time high in the United States. According to the National Mental Health Association (now known as Mental Health America), families, government, and businesses lose $113 billion each year due to the untreated or mistreated mental illness. The cost of mental illness has almost tripled over the past decade due to "discriminatory business practices" as well as "unfounded fears, misunderstandings, and phobias". Actually, mental health conditions are the second most common reason for absenteeism. Depression is the leading cause of absenteeism from work. It accounts for more bed days than any other medical condition, such as diabetes, ulcers, high blood pressure, and arthritis. According to the report, businesses must help to end stigmatization of mental illness by adopting appropriate policies for human resources and health insurance. Governments need to shift their spending priorities. Investing in mental illness prevention and treatment would be more cost-effective than the costs of reducing disability, unemployment, underemployment and broken families.

Despite the rising economic costs of depression and the increasing severity of its effects, the amount spent on treatment and diagnosis is far less than the money spent on other diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and muscular dystrophy.

Another shocking fact is that, despite the high homicide rate in the U.S.A, many people are surprised to learn that suicides have increased significantly in recent years. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website). It's actually almost twice as high (34,598 vs. 18361 in 2007).

A Misinformed Society

Depression is something that most people can't understand. It is impossible unless you have experienced it. There is little defense against depression, a category five hurricane. It is impossible to appreciate its incredible power if you have not experienced it. Depression conquers all aspects of your body, mind and spirit, unlike other illnesses. Depression is often equated with sadness. But it is so much more. There is no hope, energy, strength or hope. You are empty and lifeless.

People have a common belief, but they don't often say it. They believe that depression is "in your head" and can be managed or avoided. The prevailing mentality seems to be "Just suckit up." Let's look at that. Although it took a long time to see the evidence, we now know that the underlying cause of depression is severe neurological or physiological injury. It's not my place to talk about the neurotransmitter or hormonal disruptions that are occurring or the physical injuries that result. It falls under the general umbrella of "brain injury."

This is a frightening term that few people associate with depression. In a sense, depression can be described as being in your head. It's similar to a brain tumor. Depression can also be found in your nervous system, hormonal system, or other areas I don't know how to describe. It was once thought that depression is genetic. However, recent evidence shows that it can be caused by emotional trauma, especially in childhood.

These are often childhood events that lead to depression. It starts with vulnerable, innocent children who are often defenseless and helpless. Yes, the victim can make changes to his depression later. A victim of heart disease, for example, can also change their lifestyle and diet. They can also seek treatment and support. Patients can do more for themselves almost every time. Sometimes, the illness itself can make it difficult to take the necessary action. For example, depression can cause despair and lifelessness that limit one's ability to act. In the end, many "physical" and most "emotional" diseases are similar in that victims must take control of their condition through their actions. The stigma surrounding depression persists, and is often accompanied with the belief that it is "all in your head."

My Story

It's obvious that I have first-hand knowledge of depression. I have personally suffered the negative consequences of every depression problem I've mentioned. My condition was misdiagnosed. I received a variety of ineffective treatments. I was given medications that weren't effective or had side effects that were as severe as my depression. Ten different medications were tried. My recovery was slow and my illness lasted for a long time. I was forced to take two weeks of disability leave. My disability benefits were exhausted. Depression caused me to lose two jobs, effectively ending my career. I was unable to find a job so I changed my career. Before I was able to make a substantial recovery, I saw five different therapists and four mental health professionals. Due to my "emotional" illness, I was limited in my ability to receive healthcare. I was unable to afford the treatment that would have been most effective in my case. My family couldn't afford me to continue their lifestyle. The prolonged illness has caused severe strain to my marriage. My situation is similar to millions of other people, which is perhaps the most troubling.

Mental Healthcare: A Travesty

A few details about my life will help you see the sad state of mental healthcare. Depression was not the problem. After two years of medication and therapy, I realized that my depression was not my problem. These issues were not raised by any of the psychiatrists or therapists that I have seen.

Charles Whitfield's "Healing the Child Within" was a remarkable book that explores the relationship between childhood trauma and mood disorders like depression. It was striking to see how similar my symptoms were with a disorder that Dr. Whitfield claims is much more common than medical professionals acknowledge and can have a lasting impact on a person's life years later. I actually felt more like this condition than depression. It's post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children can be affected by emotional or mental trauma more than adults. It causes a form of chronic shock that inhibits and disrupts their emotions. This can make it more vulnerable to stressors later in life. It can even lead to depression. But PTSD can cause serious symptoms, including emotional numbness and hypervigilance.

My therapist was largely unfazed when I shared this information. He confirmed that I probably had PTSD and suggested that the treatment would be essentially identical to that for depression. My history was well-known to him. As a child, I saw countless instances of rage, verbal abuse, threats of violence from an alcoholic father against my mother. He was the only person who loved me, showed any warmth, acceptance, and love. These rageful incidents could last for hours and even lasted more than a decade. The repeated incidents made me numb and terrified from an early age. An individual so traumatized by chronic stress early on becomes "hard-wired" and is more susceptible to future stress. This can lead to depression and other similar disorders.

To heal your wounds and get over a mood disorder, it is important to fully understand the events that led to them. Alice Miller, a psychoanalyst, has written millions of books explaining this point. But caregivers aren't hearing the truth. I needed to know all the truth about me and my experiences, and I was shocked that I hadn't known more about PTSD earlier.

There are many more. To all my caregivers, I shared a variety of bizarre symptoms that I had throughout my life: being easily distracted, difficult concentrating, inability follow simple instructions, losing focus while driving, reading, excessive daydreaming, and fantasizing. These experiences are common in everyone's lives, but mine were constant and pervasive. They were what defined me. Not too long ago, I thought I might have ADD. Then I thought it might be bipolar. It was obvious that something was very wrong.