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Mood

Depression is a common mental health condition, but how much do you know about it?

Complete the following quiz to find out:

QUIZ QUESTIONS TRUE FALSE1. Depression is a sign of personal failure q q or weakness.

2. Depression is just laziness. q q

3. You have to experience a significant negative q q life event, like a loss, to become depressed.

4. Depression is something you can just ‘snap q q out of’.5. Anyone with depression cries a lot. q q

6. If someone in your family has experienced q q depression, you will experience depression.

7. Depression cannot be treated. q q

Continue reading to find out the correctanswers.

How much do you know about DEPRESSION?

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q q

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Depression is more than feeling down or being sad. It is a medical condition that affects how you think and behave, and the way you function. It is one of the most common mental health problems faced by over 121 million people worldwide. In Singapore, an estimated 5.6% of the population are affected by depression during their lifetime.

Depression may affect your work, interest in activities and quality of life. It is not a sign of weakness and it does not just ‘go away’. Depression can happen to anyone.

What is DEPRESSIONDEPRESSION

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Symptoms of depressionDepression is different from normal sadness as it interferes with your day-to-day life, making it hard for you to work, rest and have fun. People with depression experience five (5) or more of the following symptoms almost every day, for two weeks or longer:

• Persistent sadness or emptiness• Loss of interest in all or almost all activities• Decrease or increase in appetite; unintentional

weight loss or gain• Difficulty in sleeping or sleeping excessively • Restlessness or feeling agitated• Fatigue and lack of energy• Difficulty concentrating or have trouble thinking

and making decisions• Frequent thoughts of death or suicide• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt

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Although the exact cause of depression is unknown, it is often caused by the combination of recent life events and other longer term issues or personal risk factors. Research has identified certain factors that may increase your risk of depression or that may trigger a period of depression. Factors that increase your risk of depression include:

• Experiencing a major life event or challenge especially if you have difficulties dealing with it

• Physical illnesses or chronic diseases such heart problems, cancer or diabetes

• Low self esteem and a pessimistic outlook on life

• Social isolation and loneliness• A family history of depression • History of difficult life events

or trauma

Some other stressors that may increase the risk of depression include:

• Relationship difficulties• Financial difficulties • Difficulties at work or unemployment • Lack of support • Loss of a loved one

Enhancing our stress management and resilience for challenging situations is beneficial in reducing vulnerability to depression. Taking care of your physical health and adopting a healthy lifestyle is also important to minimize your risk of depression; eating well and ensuring good quality sleep are important factors in ensuring optimal physical and mental health.

UNDERSTANDING depression

Good stress management and hea lthy sleep hab its can reduce our risk of depression – Read more about them in the booklets on Stress and Sleep in th is series.

Although depression is a common mental health condition, it is often misunderstood. These myths and misconceptions may contribute to the stigma attached to depression, discouraging those experiencing depression to talk about their symptoms and seek help. Read on to learn more about the common myths associated with depression.

MYTH: Depression is a sign of personal failure or weakness.

FACT: The experience of depression is unrelated to the strength of someone’s character; it is a medical condition like asthma or diabetes. Depression can affect anyone.

MYTH: Depression is just laziness.

FACT: When people get depressed, they often have less energy and may become less active or withdrawn. These are symptoms of depression.

MYTH: You have to experience a significant negative life event, like a loss, to become depressed.

FACT: There is no singular cause for depression – people may experience depression due to a range of different reasons. Whilst experiencing a stressful or difficult life event may be a trigger for depression, this is not always the case. Some people may experience an episode of depression without an identifiable stressor or trigger event.

Although depression is a common mental health condition,

FACTSabout depression

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MYTH: Depression is something you can just ‘snap out of’.

FACT: Depression will not go away by itself. It is a medical condition that requires treatment and support. In fact, the symptoms of depression are likely to get worse if left untreated. Thus, it is important to seek help early.

MYTH: A person with depression cries a lot.

FACT: Not everyone with depression experience frequent crying. Some people don’t cry when they’re depressed. Instead they feel emotionally “blank” and may believe they are worthless or useless. Even when symptoms are not observable, untreated depression prevents people from living life to its fullest.

MYTH: If someone in your family has experienced depression, you will experience depression.

FACT: In the same way that conditions such as diabetes are genetically-linked, depression can also have a genetic cause. This does not mean that if a family member has a history of depression you will also have depression.

Depression is also experienced by people who do not have a family history. A family history of depression is a risk factor which increases your vulnerability to depression and consequently you should know the symptoms and seek help early if symptoms emerge.

MYTH: Depression cannot be treated.

FACT: There are many effective treatments for depression. Depression can be effectively treated in approximately 80 percent of cases.

We all feel down from time to time. However we can take active steps to improve and manage your mood. Our mood is influenced by our thoughts and actions. Engaging in activities that are pleasant and enjoyable can help lift our mood. Activities that can help improve our mood include:

• Spending time with friends and having fun

• Making time to relax and enjoy yourself

• Staying physically active - engage in a physical activity that you enjoy e.g. bike riding

• Taking care of your physical health - eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep

• Organising your time so you feel in control

• Finding things you can laugh about - humour is good for physical & mental health

• Sharing your feelings with others - talk about your emotions

• Starting a hobby that you enjoy• Spending time each day thinking

about what you like about yourself• Learning ways to manage stress

effectively • Adopting good sleep habits to

ensure you are well-rested• Listening to music

TIPSto improve your mood

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How I can support someone who is experiencing depression?When a family member, friend or colleague is experiencing depression, we may be unsure how to best support them. The following steps can serve as helpful tips for supporting someone who is experiencing depression:

Learn more about depression Supporting those around us requires us to be aware of when they may be experiencing difficulties. Being able to identify when someone close to us is experiencing depression requires us to learn and understand depression and know the supports available.

Listen When someone is experiencing symptoms of depression they may be withdrawn and interact less with family and friends. It is important to listen as much as you can. Listen to what they are saying, hear how they are feeling and understand what they are going through. Often, just spending time with the person lets them know that someone cares and understands them.

Ask about how they are feeling When you notice changes in someone you care about and are concerned that they may be experiencing symptoms of depression, it is sometimes hard to know what to say or how to say it. Always pick a comfortable time and place to talk. It is helpful to begin the conversation by commenting, non-judgementally, on what you have observed, for example, noting that they may not be going out as much,

that they are not as talkative as usual or that they appear tired or sad.

Encourage them to seek help For someone experiencing depression, asking for help may be difficult to do. They often feel scared, ashamed or overwhelmed to admit how they are feeling. They may not know where to get help. Encouragement and support from friends and family can be critical in motivating people to seek help.

Offering practical assistance may also be helpful and may include identifying contact details for support services or accompanying them to their first appointment.

LEARN LISTEN ASK ENCOURAGE

• Maintain eye contact• Start by commenting on

changes you have observed• Ask open-ended questions• Recap what is said to

show you have heard and understood

• Don’t rush to solve problems • Listen non-judgementally • Encourage sharing of

emotions and feelings

• Maintain eye contact

SUPPORT TIPS

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FACTSStudies have shown that approximately 80% of those who have sought help for major depression have good treatment outcomes.

Depression is highly treatable when detected and treated early.

Seek Help Depression is treatableWhen someone is experiencing depression, it is important for them to get support and help. Help is recommended when symptoms begin to interfere with one or more aspects of your life (e.g. withdrawal from friends and social activities, decreased ability to concentrate and make decisions at work etc).

Depression is highly treatable. The earlier you seek treatment, the more effective the treatment will be. Therefore, it is preferable to approach your general practitioner once you experience symptoms that are worrying. Depression can be managed using a range of different treatment strategies including medication, counselling or psychological intervention and lifestyle changes.

The treatment needs of each individual may be different. Some people may find medication most effective, for others it may be psychological intervention or a combination of treatments. Thus, it is best to approach a mental health professional to find out more about the different types of treatment and to develop an individualised support plan.

If you or someone close to you is experiencing depression, seek help early. For support, speak to your doctor, call the Talk2Us counselling line at 1800-8255287 or visit www.hpb.gov.sg/mental-health-support for a list of helplines and counselling services.

Copyright © HPB B E 767-14March 2014