What is MDD and a Depressive Episode? Why do we need to know?
According to Medical News Today, "A depressive episode, in the context of a major depressive disorder, is a period characterized by low mood and other depression symptoms that lasts for 2 weeks or more."
Major depression is a serious mental illness. It is also a chronic mental illness. This means it is not curable and that it can come and go, sometimes for a person’s entire life. Someone diagnosed with depression may feel fine for a long period of time and then have symptoms. The period during which someone experiences the symptoms is called a depressive episode. Symptoms of a depressive episode are more extreme than normal periods of low mood and may include:
feeling sad, hopeless, or helpless
feeling guilty or worthless
anxiety
irritability or frustration
fatigue or low energy
restlessness
changes in appetite or weight
loss of interest in things once enjoyed, including hobbies and socializing
trouble concentrating or remembering
changes in sleep patterns
moving or talking more slowly than usual
loss of interest in living, thoughts of death or suicide, or attempting suicide
aches or pains that do not have an obvious physical cause
Bolded above I have highlighted the symptoms I had or typically have when I am in a depressive episode. These are not things I can just "snap" out of. They just are.
The thing I have had to learn is that this won't last forever; the bad news is, it will come back.
This news came as a shock to me. I cannot be cured, It is a chronic mental illness. "Depression" is something that I will be living with for the rest of my life. The good news is, I won't always be in a depressive episode. I choose to focus on the good news here.
My nature is to see the world from a place of love and joy. It seems so contradictory from this disorder and the extreme journey it takes me on. I do experience joy, I can still laugh, I still love very deeply and I still have amazing relationships with the people I am close with and even with my co-workers. I enjoy getting to know people.
In this time of COVID-19 having depression has made it a little more difficult for me to find joy. I say a little, I really mean it has become a lot harder. It isn't any wonder why suicide rates are up. I often feel extremely lonely and isolated, even in a house full of people. I feel like I am more likely to experience a depressive episode because of this isolation.
Why is any of this important? That is always a question I ask myself. It is important because if you love someone with MDD but do not have it and cannot really understand it or the swings it might cause in people, for what might appear like absolutely no reason at all, well there is a reason. But unlike seizures, or a stroke, you cannot see what is going on. MDD is like cancer, it can be seen on a brain scan but it cannot necessarily be seen by the naked eye. The likelihood of someone getting a brain scan to prove the physical existence of depression is pretty small. There are plenty of other signs that can lead a professional to a diagnosis (read above if you missed them). The more people understand mental illness and how those suffering have no real control over the roller coaster it takes us on, the more people will accept that it is ok. We might not have control over the roller coaster itself but we can learn strategies to survive and lead a full life. BUT people who love us and empathize with us is one of the most important parts to that survival and having a good life.
* NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE USED TO SELF-DIAGNOS. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS SEE YOU PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Major depression is a serious mental illness. It is also a chronic mental illness. This means it is not curable and that it can come and go, sometimes for a person’s entire life. Someone diagnosed with depression may feel fine for a long period of time and then have symptoms. The period during which someone experiences the symptoms is called a depressive episode. Symptoms of a depressive episode are more extreme than normal periods of low mood and may include:
feeling sad, hopeless, or helpless
feeling guilty or worthless
anxiety
irritability or frustration
fatigue or low energy
restlessness
changes in appetite or weight
loss of interest in things once enjoyed, including hobbies and socializing
trouble concentrating or remembering
changes in sleep patterns
moving or talking more slowly than usual
loss of interest in living, thoughts of death or suicide, or attempting suicide
aches or pains that do not have an obvious physical cause
Bolded above I have highlighted the symptoms I had or typically have when I am in a depressive episode. These are not things I can just "snap" out of. They just are.
The thing I have had to learn is that this won't last forever; the bad news is, it will come back.
This news came as a shock to me. I cannot be cured, It is a chronic mental illness. "Depression" is something that I will be living with for the rest of my life. The good news is, I won't always be in a depressive episode. I choose to focus on the good news here.
My nature is to see the world from a place of love and joy. It seems so contradictory from this disorder and the extreme journey it takes me on. I do experience joy, I can still laugh, I still love very deeply and I still have amazing relationships with the people I am close with and even with my co-workers. I enjoy getting to know people.
In this time of COVID-19 having depression has made it a little more difficult for me to find joy. I say a little, I really mean it has become a lot harder. It isn't any wonder why suicide rates are up. I often feel extremely lonely and isolated, even in a house full of people. I feel like I am more likely to experience a depressive episode because of this isolation.
Why is any of this important? That is always a question I ask myself. It is important because if you love someone with MDD but do not have it and cannot really understand it or the swings it might cause in people, for what might appear like absolutely no reason at all, well there is a reason. But unlike seizures, or a stroke, you cannot see what is going on. MDD is like cancer, it can be seen on a brain scan but it cannot necessarily be seen by the naked eye. The likelihood of someone getting a brain scan to prove the physical existence of depression is pretty small. There are plenty of other signs that can lead a professional to a diagnosis (read above if you missed them). The more people understand mental illness and how those suffering have no real control over the roller coaster it takes us on, the more people will accept that it is ok. We might not have control over the roller coaster itself but we can learn strategies to survive and lead a full life. BUT people who love us and empathize with us is one of the most important parts to that survival and having a good life.
* NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE USED TO SELF-DIAGNOS. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS SEE YOU PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.