Depression affects 20 million Americans. No one is immune to depression. Like diabetes, asthma and heart disease, depression is an illness that requires treatment. Depression is not a sign of a weak personality or something in which you should be ashamed. People experiencing clinical depression cannot “just snap out of it.” Left untreated, depression can affect quality of life causing physical illness, as well as disrupting family, work and social life.
What to Look For
You should seek professional help if you have five or more of the following symptoms for most of the day, nearly every day, for more than two weeks:
- Depressed mood, feelings of sadness, and/or irritability.
- Loss or marked decrease in interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
- Significant changes in appetite or weight.
- Changes in sleeping patterns – sleeping too much or not being able to sleep at all.
- Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness.
- Restlessness or decreased activity.
- Constant fatigue or loss of energy.
- Decreased ability to concentrate or make decisions.
- Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death.
ThedaCare Behavioral Health is the leading provider of counseling services in the Fox Valley area with offices in Menasha/Appleton, New London, Oshkosh and Waupaca. Schedule an assessment with one of our staff. For more information call (920) 720-2300 Fox Cities, or (800)501-8247.
A full text clinical guideline from the MacArthur Initiative on Depression and Primary Care at Dartmouth and Duke can also be viewed at : www.depression-primarycare.org