Duke PAS: Personal Assistance Service - an employee assistance program (EAP) for Duke faculty and staff

Depression

Depression differs from sadness in its intensity, frequency, and duration.

Intensity: While the event would make most people sad, you respond with a much deeper level of sadness. It is too intense. Your sadness moves outside the normal range of response.
Frequency: Your sadness may not be out of proportion, but it is recurrent. You seem to get over it and then it comes back. This repetitive cycle becomes a pattern in your life.
Duration: Your sadness comes and it stays and stays. The sadness lasts much longer than it does for most other people in similar circumstances.

Depression can severely disrupt your life, affecting your appetite, sleep, work, and relationships.

The symptoms that help a doctor identify depression include:

constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension
decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
loss of energy, feeling tired despite lack of activity
a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or weight gain
a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
restlessness or feeling slowed down
decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate
feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
thoughts of suicide or death

Causes of Depression (from www.depression.com)

Depression has no single cause. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical called neurotransmitters that carry signals in your brain and nerves.

Some of the more common factors involved in depression are:

Family history: Genetics play an important part in depression. It can run in families for generations.
Trauma and stress: Stressful events such as financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.
Pessimistic personality: People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by an existing low-level depression.
Physical conditions: Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and multiple sclerosis can contribute to depression partly because of the physical weakness they cause and the stress that accompany them. Depression can also make medical conditions worse since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.
Other psychological disorders: Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often appear along with depression.

Did You Know?

Depression affects more than 19 million American adults, making it one of the most common serious but treatable illnesses in the United States.
Two-thirds of depressed people do not receive appropriate treatment because their symptoms
- are not recognized;
- are blamed on personal weakness;
- are so disabling that they cannot reach out for help; or
- are misdiagnosed and wrongly treated.
80% of people with serious depression can improve significantly. Symptoms can be relieved, usually within a matter of weeks.
Each year, depression affects 12% of women and 7% of men. Throughout a lifetime, 20% of women are affected by depression.

Information provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (1999)

Should You Seek Professional Help?

Depression is treatable. A mental health professional should be consulted if any of the following are accurate:

Pain or problems outweigh pleasures much of the time;
Symptoms are so severe and persistent that day-to-day functioning is impaired;
Stress seems so overwhelming that suicide seems to be a viable option.

Qualified mental health professionals can help identify the causes and sources of depression and can help you find ways to overcome them.

If you would like to speak to a counselor about your concerns, contact Duke Personal Assistance Service at 416-1PAS.

PAS is a free and confidential service for Duke faculty, staff, and their immediate family members.

For more information about depression and other mental health issues, visit the following websites.