I went out with a Psychiatric RN for more than a few years, which my buddies told me was quite appropriate.
Some of the things I learned from her concerning depression was an eye-opener.
Depression starts out as a mental disorder, which can either build up over time, (the 'Blues', feelings of inadequency or the inability to measure up to personal standards or the standards of others) or can be caused by a sudden traumatic incident, such as the loss of a loved one. Everyone goes through this at some stage in their life.
But when a person experiences these feelings for extended periods, this mental problem can become a physical disorder by means of a chemical imbalance in the brain. It affects not only your mental state but also your physical state. Muscles ache, & joints hurt similar to arthritic conditions. The combination of the two (mental & physical) is why some people with depression can sleep for 18hrs. a day, or be raging insomniacs. They can't turn of the brain, so it's working 24/7 to the point of exhaustion, mentally. They can become 'Manic Depressive'. Huge surges of mental & physical activity for extended periods, followed by a crash into doing absolutely nothing, other than sleep, for days afterwards. Sex is a low priority. So is food. And relationships. ("Leave me alone! You don't know what I'm going through" is a common statement.) It affects both sexes equally, but in different ways, because of the hormonal differences in men & women. The consequences are the same.
People that have had more than one concussion, even 'minor' ones, tend to be prone to depression. A minor concussion does not mean minor consequences.
Mental health seems to be the red-headed step child that no-one wants to talk about. It's a problem that most people that suffer from it, at some point in their lives, but don't want to talk about. It's a social stygmata. This is the worst thing that you can do. It feeds on itself, & can grow to the point that sufferers can have suicidal tendencies. Avoid alcohol.
Please don't let yourself or anyone you know that is suffering from this, get to that point. The condition is treatable & can be managed with the right combination of anti-depressants, & support from family & friends. Talking about these feelings out loud, seems to be a way of lifting the seemingly huge weight of your shoulders.
I've lost two friends over the years because of depression. We never knew. Looking back, the signs were there. We just didn't recognize them, because we didn't know what to look for. I miss 'em.
One thing that you should know, is that depression seems to rub off on the people around you. That is why probably 1/2 the doctors & 2/3 of the nurses working ON the mental health ward of a hospital, should be IN the mental health ward!
If you guys or anyone else you know, is showing any of these signs, please talk to someone about it. Often, that's all that it takes.
