The Black Dog: Depression with 10 Warning Signs
This video was developed by World Health Organization as part of the World Health Day 2017 campaign to help you understand more about depression.
Key Facts
- Common mental disorders are increasing worldwide, affects everyone, whatever your age, sex, or social status.
- Depression can lead to suicide. Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds
- Between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety increased by nearly 50%.
- Close to 10% of the world’s population is affected by one or both of these conditions.
- Depression alone accounts for 10% of years lived with disability globally.
- In humanitarian emergencies and ongoing conflict as many as 1 in 5 people are affected by depression and anxiety.
- Depression can be prevented and treated.
- A better understanding of what depression is, and how it can be prevented and treated, will help reduce the stigma associated with the condition, and lead to more people seeking help.
- Depression in women following childbirth (Post Natal Depression, PND) can affect the development of newborns.
- In many countries of the world, especially Nigeria there is no, or very little, support available for people with mental health disorders. Even in high-income countries, nearly 50% of people with depression do not get treatment.
- The most common mental health disorders can be prevented and treated, at relatively low cost
Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. Especially when long-lasting and with moderate or severe intensity, depression may become a serious health condition. It can cause the affected person to suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school and in the family.
Ten Warning Signs
Depression is a common mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that people normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for 14 days or longer.
Depression affects people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all countries. It causes mental anguish and impacts on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living.
Depression causes mental anguish and can impact on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks, with sometimes devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends. Untreated depression can prevent people from working and participating in family and community life.
In addition, people with depression normally have several of the following:
- Loss of energy
- Change in appetite
- Sleeping more or less;
- Anxiety
- Reduced concentration
- Indecisiveness
- Restlessness
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Guilt or hopelessness
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Types of Depression
Depending on the number and severity of symptoms, a depressive episode can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. An individual with a mild depressive episode will have some difficulty in continuing with ordinary work and social activities, but will probably not cease to function completely. During a severe depressive episode, it is very unlikely that the sufferer will be able to continue with social, work, or domestic activities, except to a very limited extent.
A key distinction is also made between depression in people who have or do not have a history of manic episodes. Both types of depression can be chronic (i.e. over an extended period of time) with relapses, especially if they go untreated.
Recurrent Depressive Disorder: this disorder involves repeated depressive episodes. During these episodes, the person experiences depressed mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, and reduced energy leading to diminished activity for at least two weeks. Many people with depression also suffer from anxiety symptoms, disturbed sleep and appetite and may have feelings of guilt or low self-worth, poor concentration and even medically unexplained symptoms.
Bipolar Affective Disorder: this type of depression typically consists of both manic and depressive episodes separated by periods of normal mood. Manic episodes involve elevated or irritable mood, over-activity, pressure of speech, inflated self-esteem and a decreased need for sleep
Some Risk Factors Contributing to Depression include;
- The risk of becoming depressed is increased by but not limited to:
- Poverty
- Unemployment
- Life events such as the death of a loved one
- Relationship break-up
- Physical illness
- Problems caused by alcohol and drug use.
- Barriers to Effective Care
- Although there are known, effective treatments for depression, fewer than half of those affected in the world (in many countries, fewer than 10%) receive such treatments. Barriers to effective care include;
- Lack of resources
- Lack of trained health-care providers
- Social stigma associated with mental disorders
- Inaccurate assessment. In countries of all income levels, people who are depressed are often not correctly diagnosed, and others who do not have the disorder are too often misdiagnosed and prescribed antidepressants.
Impact of Depression on Physical Health
There are interrelationships between depression, physical health and other non-communicable disorders. For example, cardiovascular disease can lead to depression and vice versa.- Depression increases the risk of substance use disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease;
- People with diabetes, cancer coronary heart disease or other conditions like substance use disorders have a higher risk of depression.
- Depression is also an important risk factor for suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
In up-coming articles, #LetsTalk, find out what diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures you must know. As well as what target groups are susceptible to depression and why. You will read life experiences of people you never think they can be depressed because of their status and how openly talking about it with the support of a loved aids recovery. (Source: World Health Organization, WHO).
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