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The picture you may have in your head when hearing someone is depressed, or has been diagnosed with depression is typically not a true “picture.” People are often surprised to hear that a friend or family member is depressed as they do not “act the way a depressed person should act.”

Depression Facts versus Depression Truths

So just what is the real truth about depression? Having a better handle on what depression looks like may let you give help and support where it truly is needed. Being able to come to terms with one’s own depression with the help of friends and family is the first step in seeking treatment.

• “Depressed people are usually miserable and prefer to be left alone.” Fact? Truth? Very often people with depression feel their best when they are socializing, being the “life of the party,” attending events and activities and staying very active within their community of friends and family. Party goers are seldom viewed as depressed and may go their entire lives without the treatment they so desperately need.

• “Depression and life’s problems fade into the background of living the high life.” Fact? Truth? Staying fun loving and in the lime-light keeps the sadness, fear and panic away — at least for a short while. Moods may change and there may be times when you feel better alone and miserable around friends, however these mood swings may just occur at random times with no discernible pattern.

• “Depression really just means that you are sad.” Fact? Truth? While being depressed may feel like a heavy weight of sadness is weighing down your every thought and move, depression may also take on other less recognizable forms. Depression may make itself known through making one irritable and easy to anger – often to make others feel bad so you can feel better about yourself.

• “Depression makes you sleepy.” Fact? Truth? Contradictory symptoms often makes depression so hard to detect. Depression may affect your sleeping patterns – you may find you have trouble falling asleep, waking up on time or sleeping away most of the day. Loss of weight may be a welcome change, but not because you become so fidgety and anxious you find you can’t sit still long enough to enjoy a meal. Memory issues may develop where you find you are not able to remember simple or routine events on a week to week basis. Your libido or sex drive may dwindle away to nothing or you may become super active sexually. Depression has so many faces that it really is a diagnosis that can go undiagnosed for years and years.

• “Antidepressants will not work.”Fact? Truth? Many people believe that taking antidepressants will not work for them as they may have known friends who took them to no avail, or watched news reports on the millions of people on antidepressants that may or may not make a difference in their lives. It is true that depression rates are rising; however this needs to viewed in the light of mental health professionals becoming better at making the correct diagnosis than in previous years, rather than people being diagnosed with depression for the lack of a better diagnosis. It is true that some antidepressants are not effective for everyone. Individual treatment plans make for better strategies and regimens in a multifaceted treatment process.

Depression – Help a Phone Call Away

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