Dr. Marcia Wesley - Depression

Many people suffer with depression. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States today. An estimated 5 to 10% of adults will experience clinical depression in a given year. Depression involves more than having a bad day once in a while or having an occasional blue feeling. Depression affects your body's ability to sleep (either sleeping too little or too much), to eat (either too little or too much), to concentrate, to remember, and to enjoy. Depression affects your feelings and thinking about yourself. It also affects your body's mechanisms for the regulation of stress. Depression weakens your body's immunities, heightens its perceptions of pain, and deadens your instinct for self-preservation. Fortunately, depression is treatable through psychotherapy and medications. Research indicates that a combination of both approaches is optimal and necessary for full recovery. There are several different kinds of depression and mood disorders, including major depression, chronic depression, bipolor disorder and post-partum depression.

Major depression is typically characterized by significantly depressed moods that result in a lack of interest or pleasure in daily activities. It is often accompanied by significant wieght gain or loss and abnormal sleep patterns (too much or or too little). There are deep feelings of low self-worth or significant guilt and there may be recurring thoughts of death or suicide. If this descibes you, it is wise to seek therapy soon. Generally chronic depression is exists if you have been experiencing frequent bouts of depressive moods for a long period of time, have low energy, are having problems sleeping, are experiencing difficulties in making decisions or are feeling generally hopeless, it might make sense to see a psychologist. Bipolar disorders are characterized by cyles of increased energy and exictment followed by "crashes" of depression and low-energy. Post-partum depression can range from feelings of very common feelings of the "blues" (about 80% of new mothers experience this), to serious depressive episodes (affecting between 10-15% of new mothers), to post-partum psychosis (which affects 1 in a 1000 new mothers).

If your depressive symptoms have persisted over some time and are causing you significant concern or affecting your enjoyment of life, it is best to make an appointment ot see a qualified therapist.