What is Depression?
In the year 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that depression was the fourth leading cause of the burden of disease in the world. They made the prediction that depression would reach the number two spot in the year 2020 and the number one spot in 2030. Unfortunately they guessed wrong. Depression became the second leading cause of the burden of disease in the world in 2013, and it is well on its way to reach the number one spot in a few short years. (Hmmm, this is a really depressing topic, isn’t it) Depression is a debilitating condition that can sometimes lead to suicide. In 2005 WHO noted that suicide was the eleventh leading cause of death in the world, behind cancer, heart issues, and diabetes. In Canada depression, substance abuse, and other mental health issues cost the Canadian economy 51 billion dollars. Imagine what 51 billion dollars could buy – better schools, parenting programs, better access to mental health services, and the dream list goes on.
So what is this elusive condition called depression? Many people view depression as long term sad or unhappy emotions. But depression can involve a collection of many different symptoms including fatigue or lack of energy, lack of motivation, unusual pains or digestive problems, disturbances in sleep or appetite, concentration difficulties, lack of pleasure in things you once found enjoyable, undue crying and emotional outbursts, irritability, low self-worth or guilt, a sense of helplessness or hopelessness, self-criticism or even self loathing, thinking a lot about death, low sex drive, loneliness and social isolation. These symptoms can also describe the effects of many other physical or mental health problems. Thus it is important not to self diagnose, but instead to see your doctor and a mental health expert such as a psychologist.
And what causes depression. Many would have you believe that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. Logically we would want to correct that chemical imbalance by providing a counter-balancing medication. It sounds like an easy solution. However the question arises, “why is depression on the increase despite the use of antidepressant prescriptions?” Don’t get me wrong, antidepressants can be useful in treating some individuals with depression. However, when Prozac (the original SSRI) first came upon the scene, it was intended to be prescribed as a short-term solution (6-18 months) in conjunction with psychotherapy. Over time, psychotherapy was relegated to the fringe and medication became the treatment of choice for depression. However, as Michael Yapko, a preeminent depression psychologist stated so succinctly, “Pills don’t teach skills.”
Depression is a much more complicated condition than what we are told. Depression can have many causes. Depression may arise in response to poverty, abuse, bullying, loss such as death of a loved one or divorce, lack of exercise, inappropriate diet, difficulties adjusting to a new culture, existential crisis, working too hard, insufficient sleep, chronic illness, debt, family conflict, and much more. There was even a study published recently that noted the risk of developing depression goes up the more time you spend on Facebook. Since depression can have many causes, thus it can also have many treatments.
My number one treatment for depression is exercise. Numerous studies point to the physical and mental benefits of exercise. It is thought that exercise can reduce the symptoms of depression through various means. Exercise helps metabolize the stress hormones, adrenalin and cortisol, that tend to narrow your thinking processes. Exercise results in the extra release of endorphins, which are the brain’s own happy / pain killing chemicals. And exercise encourages neurogenesis – the creation of new brain cells. Yes its true, exercise can build both brawn and brain. Make sure to choose an exercise that fits your personal style though – not everyone likes going to the gym. Exercise might include hiking, biking, playing a team sport such as hockey or baseball, ballroom dancing, jogging, and even brisk walking.
In addition to medications and exercise, a psychologist may help people out of depression using a particular psychotherapy called cognitive-behavior therapy or CBT. The CBT orientation would suggest that depression is a learned pattern. Don’t get me wrong, no one WANTS to learn depression. All people do their best to cope with some of the life stressors mentioned above, but in some cases the stressors become too big or too many, and some people inadvertently fall into a pattern that later becomes diagnosed as depression. The good news is that if depression is a learned pattern, then depression can be unlearned, and a more resilient and empowering pattern can be learned. Thus CBT would help you look at your patterns of thinking and doing, and see if there are ways to alter those patterns that would bring you more hope and happiness.
Patrick Myers is a registered psychologist at www.stresslessconsulting.com and works at Burnaby Square Counselling
