I felt that this chapter was extremely necessary as I have been affected by depression, and I'm sure that there is someone reading this that feels the same way. Almost all of my information was taken from www.webmd.com and www.helpguide.org

What is depression?

If you search up depression on google, the definition is, "Severe despondency and dejection, typically felt over a period of time and accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy."

What are some symptoms of depression?

Everyone can experience varying degrees and varieties of depression, but some of the most common symptoms of depression are:

• Loss of interest
• Self-loathing
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Changes in weight or eating habits
• Feelings of helplessness and/or hopelessness
• Irritability/short temper
• Reckless behavior
• Muscle aches/stiffness and/or unexplainable pain

What can cause depression?

Similar to the symptoms, causes of depression can change from person to person. These are some common causes:

• Loneliness
• Family history of depression
• Early childhood trauma or abuse
• Lack of social support
• Relationship problems
• Recent stressful life experiences

What are the most common types of depression?

These are the seven most common depressions and their definitions:

Major Depression (aka clinical depression) - a constant sense of hopelessness and despair; marked by a depressed mood most of the day, particularly in the morning, and a loss of interest in normal activities and relationships -- symptoms that are present every day for at least 2 weeks.

Dysthymia Depression (aka mild/chronic depression) - less severe and has fewer symptoms than major depression, yet symptoms linger for a longer period of time, often two years or longer.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka SAD) - happens every year at the same time. A rare form of seasonal depression, known as "summer depression," begins in late spring or early summer and ends in fall. In general, though, seasonal affective disorder starts in fall or winter and ends in spring or early summer.

Atypical Depression- a subtype of major depression or dysthymic disorder that involves several specific symptoms, including increased appetite or weight gain, sleepiness or excessive sleep, marked fatigue or weakness, moods that are strongly reactive to environmental circumstances, and feeling extremely sensitive to rejection.

Psychotic Depression- a subtype of major depression occurs when a severe depressive illness includes some form of psychosis. The psychosis could be hallucinations (such as hearing a voice telling you that you are no good or worthless), delusions (such as, intense feelings of worthlessness, failure, or having committed a sin) or some other break with reality.

Bipolar Disorder (aka maniac depression)- that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior. People who have bipolar disorder can have periods in which they feel overly happy and energized and other periods of feeling very sad, hopeless, and sluggish. In between those periods, they usually feel normal.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder- severe PMS -- severe enough to interfere with work, relationships, and more. PMDD is likely caused, at least in part, by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. 

Aren't being sad and being depressed the same thing?

No, they are not the same thing, although they both can stem from similar events. For example, you can be sad when a family member, friend, or spouse passes away, but you can eventually become depressed over time due to their absence.

What is suicide?

The definition of suicide is, “The act of killing oneself intentionally.”

What are common signs of suicide?

• Direct statements of suicide such as, “I want to kill myself.”
• Indirect statements of suicide such as, “It would be better if I wasn’t here.”
• High-risk behavior such as driving through red lights
• Tying up loose ends such as forgiving someone after a long grudge
• A sudden change in mood and/or lifestyle such as cutting off all your hair for no particular reason

What should I do if I think someone is considering suicide?

If you think someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide (no matter how small they may be), there are a few things you can do to have them rethink their options:

• Make sure they know that they are not alone, and that you are there for them
• Tell them all of the positive qualities that they possess
• Reassure them that there is always another solution, even if they can’t see it at the moment
• Ask them questions such as, “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
• Do not let them have space if they are showing the more prominent signs of suicidal behavior. Some people think that this may help, but in most cases it won’t

If the person doesn’t change their mind, tell a responsible adult immediately. Since most of the people reading this are probably teens or young adults, you may think that telling an adult could get either of you in trouble, but it could save their life.

I think I may have a form of depression. What should I do?

There are many things you can do in order to receive help for depression. Here are some of them:

• Talk to a close friend about it
• Talk to an adult you trust (I know this one may sound typical and unrealistic, but it really does help. It was tough, but I managed to tell my mom about my depression and I felt a lot better about it afterwards)
• Research the form of depression you think you may have. You’d be surprised; there could be some simple remedies for it
• Make healthy lifestyle changes such as getting regular amounts of exercise and sleep or practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga
• Send me a message: I’ve dealt with quite a few forms of depression and could possibly help you out

If you would like to contact a hotline, click here to view a list of suicide crisis hotlines

If you would like to take a test to see if you may have certain types of depression, click here.