Depression is a very complex illness and it comes in a variety of types. Within each type, the symptoms can vary in severity and that’s why no two people are treated for depression in the exact same way. This disease, probably more than any other, requires a uniquely individual approach to its management.
OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a type of depression that causes the sufferer to engage in pointless rituals, to the point where completing those rituals becomes a matter of life or death to him or her. For example, someone suffering from OCD may feel that they have to wash their hands every hour, or avoid stepping on a crack in the sidewalk at all costs. Some people hoard things, and refuse to throw anything away no matter how old or useless it is. You hear about people whose bedrooms were filled with newspapers, some several years old, simply because the effects of this disease didn’t allow them to discard anything. OCD is one of the severest forms of depression one can have.
SAD, seasonal affective disorder, is something we all experience to some extent, however, in people with full-blown cases, it can disable them from even completing the simplest tasks of life. For example, people will become blue in mood often in the wintertime when daylight hours are shorter and the weather is harsher. We all experience this, but the person suffering from seasonal affective disorder will barely be able to function. They will experience symptoms of depression including extreme exhaustion to the point where they can do little more than lie in bed, changes will occur in their eating habits, and they will become irritable and difficult to communicate with. Medications have been successful in controlling this, but also various light therapies have proven helpful as well. Doctors seem to trace this form of depression to a lack of daylight, and the fact that some people need a certain amount of it more so than others. When people suffering from OCD don’t get the required amount of daylight, such as those going through a particulary harsh winter, and sometimes even those who work in the nighttime, their symptoms increase – sometimes to the point where they can no longer function.
Postpartum or postnatal depression is a common form of depression presenting in new mothers who have recently given birth. The birthing process and everything leading up to it is exciting for the new mother. Especially if this is her first child, it is a very exhilarating time filled with new wonders just about everyday. The new mother is the center of attention in her world – with her husband, her siblings and even her friends. Once the baby is born, however, things calm down. She is now faced with the daily drudgery of caring for her newborn – the sleepless nights, the many diaper changes and feedings, and the whole new routine of motherhood. She may long for the “good old days” when she had less responsibility and a lot more attention and caring from those around her. She feels she’s lost this and depression is often the result. Many new mothers develop postpartum depression to some degree, and often all that is required to treat it is a short-term prescription of anti-depressant drugs. But for some of us the symptoms are far more severe and more intensive treatment measures are called for. But, just like other forms of depression, this is certainly treatable, and it is one of the few forms of depression that is almost always curable. It just takes time and the proper combination of treatment options.
Anxiety disorders are probably the most common form of depression. It results when someone experiences an abnormal degree of anxiety, often without having anything concrete to be anxious about. Anxiety is normal for most people, and it can be a good thing. If we didn’t have anxiety over a tight deadline at work, what would be our motivation for getting that project completed? If we didn’t have anxiety about an upcoming test at school, would we necessarily bother to study for it? But when anxiety takes over someone’s life, to the point where they are anxious all of the time, with nothing particular that they can put their finger on as the cause, then we have a full-blown case of anxiety-induced depression, and this requires immediate medical intervention.
Anxiety disorders can also sometimes be linked to phobias. We all have our phobias, or high degree of fear regarding certain things such as flying or snakes. In most cases, these phobias don’t impact our lives to any great degree. If you are afraid of snakes, don’t go into the woods. If you are afraid to fly, and flying is not something you really need to do, then take the train. But when our fear impacts our lives, then we have the potential of developing an anxiety-induced form of depression. Often, far more than medication is needed to resolve these disorders. Intensive therapies are also often required to help us overcome the phobia and reduce our anxiety. For example, someone who is afraid to leave their home would need intensive therapy to overcome that fear. Without treatment, it would be impossible to live one’s life if they refused to leave the home. Someone who has a job requiring a lot of travel might have a very difficult time living their life if they were petrified of setting foot on an airplane. When the anxiety-producing source impacts one’s productive life-style, that is when the disorder demands immediate treatment, including medication, coupled with various therapies to relieve the phobia and the anxiety it produces.
Depression is a very treatable disease, though not always a curable one. It is good to know that treatment options are readily available to make these depressive disorders more manageable, and much easier to live with even if they cannot be fully cured.