Depression
By Kathleen S. Pittman, RN, MPH
VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

What is depression?
Depression is a real and treatable illness that can happen to anyone at any age. Depression affects who you are and how you think, feel and act.

What are the signs of depression?
There can be many signs (symptoms) of depression such as:

Feeling sad, anxious, guilty, hopeless, "empty" or worthless
Not enjoying what used to be fun
Feeling restless, irritable, or tired
Sleeping too much or sleeping too little
Eating too much or eating too little
Problems with remembering, thinking, or making decisions
Pain or an upset stomach for no reason, that won’t go away
Thoughts of death or suicide
Many people have one of these symptoms from time to time. But, if you have two or more of the symptoms that last for longer than two weeks, talk to a health care provider. Sometimes other health problems can have similar symptoms, and your health care provider can help you sort this out.

What causes depression?
There are many causes of depression but the most common ones are big changes in your life (death of a loved one, loss of a job, new responsibilities at work or at home), hormonal changes, a chemical imbalance, and even a lack of sunlight. For many people, there is no one single cause.

Can depression be treated?
Yes, there are effective treatments for depression. Many people with depression get better with treatment. The most common treatments are medications or counseling (talk therapy), or both. Medications need to be taken for three to four weeks before you will feel better. Sometimes the medicine has to be changed to find the one that works best for you. Talk therapy allows you to talk about your feelings and what is going on in your life without being judged. Medication together with talk therapy is the most effective treatment. Sometimes people start drinking more alcohol than they should to try to feel better. This is not a good way to deal with feelings of depression and can sometimes make you feel worse.

What do I do if I think I am depressed?
If you are depressed, you may not feel like or have energy to do anything. But, it is important to talk to a health care provider. If you can’t do that yourself, ask a trusted friend or loved one to call for you. Try not to isolate yourself– let others help you. Don’t expect to "snap out" of depression. It takes time for treatment to work, but it does work.

What do I do if I think somebody I care about is depressed?
First, help your friend get an appointment with a health care provider. He or she may not have the energy to make the appointment or to go on their own. You may need to go to the appointment with him. Next, listen to your friend and encourage him or her to stay in treatment or go back to the doctor if he or she is not getting better after six to eight weeks. If your friend talks about hurting himself, call 911 and do not leave the person alone.

What if I want to hurt or kill myself?
If you think you want to hurt or kill yourself:

Call your health care provider, or
Call the toll–free, 24–hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800–273–TALK (1–800–273-8255); TTY: 1-800–799–4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselor, or
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Do veterans have special risks for suicide?
Yes. Veterans who had frequent or long deployments, or were sent to hostile environments are at higher risk for depression and suicide. Veterans who were in very stressful situations, sexually or physically attacked (not just women), or have a service–related injury are also at higher risk.

REMEMBER, even the strongest people can get depressed and think about suicide when problems seem too big to solve.

Best **** thing I've seen posted here in quite sometime.
Doc, you got anything in your med pack election head tramma.