Coping with depression: help is out there
All of us are getting a bit edgy and irritable, and there may be some real emotional problems that you or someone close you need to cope with. If so, shut your eyes, take a few deep breaths and head out to the Web. You can find a lot of help for the February blahs and other psychological conditions. There are Web sites with information, others where you can ask questions, support groups and more.
Older people may suffer from a wide range of psychiatric problems in late life. Those who are suffering from physical illness are especially vulnerable. Though these conditions tend to be under- diagnosed and under-treated, their outlook with appropriate management is often excellent.
Depression in late life is an example of such a condition.
DEPRESSION
Depression usually a treatable illness: Serotonin deficit causes depression
Most people feel "blue" at some point in their lives. In fact, passing feelings of discouragement or sadness are perfectly normal, especially during difficult times. Unemployment, the loss of a loved one, an illness or stress within a relationship may cause temporary feelings of despair. However, if these feelings last longer than three-to-four weeks, a person may be suffering from depression.
My world gets cloudy. When it does, I know it's going to be a bad day.
It seems everyone around me just doesn't care. I am always alone and no one knows the way I feel. I can't think straight and I just want to put my headphones on and close the world out around me. It's morning and I just can't get up. However, I force myself to get up and go to school. Once I am there, I sit down and put my head on the desk. The teacher keeps talking during his lecture but all that I hear is, "Blah, blah, blah".
Dr. Rob LEES
Steve Smith, the comic who plays Red Green, claims that depression is the default setting in life. Is he right?
