Animation Perfectly Explains What Depression Is And Offers Advice On How To Help Someone Battling It
Animation Perfectly Explains What Depression Is
Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK
Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world. But because it's a mental illness and it's often invisible, it can be very difficult for others to understand what it actually is.
It can also be a challenge for people with depression to reach out for help.
As the above video from TED-Ed explains: "One major source of confusion is the difference between having depression and just feeling depressed."
Almost everyone has an off day where they feel particularly down in the dumps. But then circumstances change and those bad feelings disappear.
For people with clinical depression, this sadness won't go away even when they want it to. It can linger for at least two consecutive weeks and will significantly interfere with a person's ability to work...
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Play...
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And love.
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There are many symptoms of depression, these include: a low mood, loss of interest in things you'd normally enjoy, changes in appetite, feeling worthless or excessively guilty, sleeping too much or too little, poor concentration, restlessness or slowness, loss of energy or recurrent thoughts of suicide.
Neuroscientists still don't have a complete picture of what causes depression. However they do believe it is linked to a complex interaction between genes and environment.
There are effective treatments. For example, medication and therapy compliment each other to boost brain chemicals.
In extreme cases electro convulsive therapy, which acts like a controlled seizure in the patient's brain, can also be helpful.
According to the US-based National Institute of Mental Health, it takes the average person who is suffering from a mental illness over 10 years to ask for help - which is a very saddening reality.
For those who think they might know someone with depression, TED-Ed has offered a few pointers on how to help them:
Encourage them (gently) to seek out treatment.
Help with tasks such as searching for local therapists or making a list of questions to ask a doctor - because to someone with depression, these first steps can seem insurmountable.
If they feel guilty or ashamed it's important to point out that depression is a medical condition just like asthma or diabetes. It's not a weakness or a personality trait and they can't expect themselves to "just get over it" any more than they could will themselves to get over a broken arm.
If you haven't experienced depression yourself, avoid comparing it to times you've felt down. Comparing what they are experiencing to normal, temporary feelings of sadness could make them feel guilty for struggling.
Just talking about depression openly can be a great thing, as these conversations help to erode stigma and make it easier for people to ask for help.
Myth: Your doctor won't take you seriously(01 of10)
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Truth: They will. And they will help you. And if they don't? Just see another one. Or call one of the mental health charities who will be able to offer you advice. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: Self harm is just ‘attention-seeking’(02 of10)
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Truth: Depression is a real illness with real symptoms. It's not a sign of weakness or something you can "snap out of" by "pulling yourself together". (credit:Alamy)
Myth: You're too young to be depressed(03 of10)
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Truth: You have permission to give the finger to anyone who says that to you. It's not an age-specific illness. It can happen to anyone and everyone, and don't feel you have "no right" to be depressed just because you're young. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: Everyone will have to know(04 of10)
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Truth: Unless you get it tattooed across your forehead, they won't. You only have to tell the people you want to tell. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: There's something massively wrong with you(05 of10)
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Truth: Yes, you're suffering from depression, but it doesn't mean you're not normal. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: People will think you're weird(06 of10)
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Truth: There may be the occasional person who doesn't react in the way they should - but it's probably down to sheer ignorance. People won't think you're weird, and if they're true friends, they won't treat you any differently either. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: There's no way out(07 of10)
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Truth: Yes, you may have some dark times. But it doesn't mean they won't end. Seeking help is the first step, and sometimes the hardest one, on the road to recovery. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: You're alone(08 of10)
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Truth: No matter how alone you think you are, you're not. There will be someone who wants to help - whether it's family, friends, your doctor, or the mental health worker at the end of the phone. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: Self harm is just ‘attention-seeking’(09 of10)
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Truth: Self-harm is an issue distinct from suicide – the inflicting of pain has its own purpose and is not usually intended as a suicide attempt. However, someone who self-harms may also think about or attempt suicide. It is a myth that people who self-harm are ‘just attention-seekers’ and not at risk of suicide. (credit:Alamy)
Myth: You must take antidepressants to “cure” depression Fact: Antidepressants do not make you “happy” as such – they help to adjust abnormally(10 of10)
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Fact: Antidepressants do not make you “happy” as such – they help to adjust abnormally low levels of brain chemicals to lift mood to more normal levels. NHS guidelines suggest that antidepressants should not be offered in the first instance for mild depression as other strategies may be more effective with fewer side effects. Medication can reverse some of the effects of depression, such as low mood and lack of motivation, and can provide the energy for re-engagement with life, socialising etc which helps combat other depressive effects. Medication is most useful when forming part of a combined strategy to tackle the various effects of the depression habit spiral. (credit:Alamy)