Will depression happen again?
Some people
experience an episode of depression once only in their lives and never
again. For the majority, however, depression is a chronic (recurrent)
illness. It is wise therefore to bear these guidelines in mind. Write
down your own particular set of symptoms and how you feel when you are
depressed, so that when you are better, you can refer to it if necessary.
It is not easy for us to spot a recurrence of the illness in ourselves,
because we tend to forget how things were when we were ill and because,
when we start to fall ill again, we lose insight into our own condition.
Life
guidelines for depression
-
Be careful not
to allow too much stress into your life, for this can trigger depression.
-
When you are,
unavoidably, going through a stressful period, make sure that you eat,
sleep and exercise regularly so that you can counteract some of the
adverse effects.
-
Take extra
care of yourself during and after illness for this is when you may be
most vulnerable.
-
Always keep a
balance in your life between you work life, your home life and your
personal time.
Facts and
figures on depression
-
More than half
the people who have one attack of depression necessitating treatment will
have at least one further episode of depression at some time in their
lives.
-
About
one-quarter of patients relapse within one year and three-quarters will
experience a recurrence within ten.
-
Depression is
twice as common in women as in men.
-
More than
one-third (37 percent) of people treated for depression by primary care
physicians suffer recurrent depression within 19 months.
-
Women who have
had one episode of puerperal psychosis have a 50 percent chance of
recurrence.
-
The more
severe the first depression and the greater the number of episodes, the
greater the probability of relapse.
Ill and/or
Depressed
-
Don't forget
that you can be ill as well as depressed. Some conditions, such as flu
and high blood pressure, may produce symptoms similar to those of
depression.
-
Because some
of the symptoms of depression coincide with the symptoms of other
conditions, it may be that you are not suffering from depression at all.
-
Take care not
to attribute all illness to depression at the risk of neglecting your
physical health.
What you
really need to know about depression
-
Depression can
often recur.
-
You can reduce
the possibility of another attack of depression.
-
You can and
will get well again.
-
Depression
does not confer immunity from all other illnesses, so feeling unwell may
be owing to a physical illness, not depression.
-
Depression can
trigger important and positive changes in your life.
Key Facts:
If you experience any of the familiar symptoms of depression, consult
your family doctor. Write down how you feel when you are ill, so that you
can refer to it if necessary in the future. Try to keep a balance in all
aspects of your life - work, family and your own needs.
