Do you sometimes feel sad or have the blues?
This is normal and a part of every day living.
It's also normal to feel depressed after a loved one dies
or after a serious illness diagnosis.
We may cry, have trouble sleeping or lose our appetite,
but what's not normal is to feel
this way for long periods of time.
Depression is a mood disorder that effects how you feel
and think and how you manage daily activities.
Depression can happen at any time in your life.
Major depression can effect more than your mood;
for example, you might be sleeping a lot
or not sleeping enough.
You could lose weight or gain weight and generally
lose interest in your life.
You may even have thoughts about your own death.
Sometimes depression happens when
a person has other serious conditions like cancer,
heart disease or PTSD.
Also a person may be abusing drugs or alcohol or
withdrawing from them and could
also be suffering from depression.
It's important that Veterans seen at VA facilities
are screened every year for depression.
Depression can be difficult to diagnose,
especially when a person has a tough time
talking about their feelings.
It can be a sensitive topic to
bring up with a healthcare provider.
However sometimes a spouse or partner will
mention their loved one is having trouble
sleeping and is grouchy all the time.
With these symptoms there's often
a problem with depression going on too.
Some other signs and symptoms of depression may include
feeling anxious or having an empty
mood that won't go away,
feeling hopeless or worthless, losing interest in
hobbies or activities you once enjoyed,
feeling aches or pains that don't have a clear cause
even after they've been treated.
The good news is that depression
can be treated successfully
so you can return to feeling more like yourself.
If you are a Veteran enrolled in VA healthcare and
you or your loved one suspects
you may have depression contact your VA primary care provider,
a patient aligned care team member
or a mental health professional for help.
If you are diagnosed with depression your treatment
may include medication and psychotherapy,
which is also called cognitive behavior therapy
or a combination of both.
Psychotherapy helps by teaching
you new ways of thinking and behaving and
changing habits that can add to your depression.
People usually do best when they receive both kinds of treatment.
Gradually with proper treatment you'll start to feel better,
during this time continue to do things you enjoy
but go easy on yourself.
Be active and be with other people,
get good rest, eat at regular times,
ask for help from your family,
friends and your healthcare team.
Put off making any major life decisions until you feel better.
Remember don't use alcohol
or drugs that are not prescribed to you
because they can make your depression worse
and harder to treat.
If you are concerned about a loved one who
is talking about suicide or death,
always take them seriously.
If they refuse to get help,
get help for them anyway.
Call the Veterans Crisis Line;
it's a confidential toll free hotline,
online chat or text.
It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Veterans or their loved ones can call
1-800-273-8255 and press 1
or text a message to 838255
to get immediate help and support.
Or to have an online chat,
visit www.veteranscrisisline.net.
Do you have more questions about
depression and how to cope with it?
Talk with your VA healthcare team or you can visit
www.mentalhealth.va.gov/depression.
There you can find out about
many programs and services to help.
Remember depression can be treated
if you think you have depression seek help,
the VA wants you to have the best
care possible so you can get
back to feeling like yourself again.