Depression
By: Krista Mueller, NCC
Depression is a word that is tossed around often, which can often create a misunderstanding of its severity. Although a depressed mood can be a symptom of many things, depression itself is an actual mood disorder & a mental health illness. Unfortunately, depression has the potential to lead to suicide & is the fourth leading cause of death in individuals aged 15-29, although it can affect all age ranges & individuals. Suicide rates have increased over the past few years & research from 2020 shows that approximately 46,000 people died from suicide, with an estimated 1.20 million suicide attempts. Remember, those numbers are the reported suicide deaths & attempts, not considering the individuals who have gone unreported.
Some symptoms of depression may include:
- Loss of energy most days
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Loss of pleasure/interest in most if not all activities
- Depressed mood most of the day nearly everyday
Note: These are not all the symptoms of depression, nor are they only symptoms of depression. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or notice a loved one experiencing these symptoms for a long length of time, please seek a professional for discussion.
Although not a professional diagnosis, the depression screening can be of assistance. This screening can allow one to gain awareness on various symptoms they may be experiencing & allow one to understand it may be more serious than they think it is. Only about 35% of individuals seek treatment for depression. Screening can be the first step to obtaining help. Depression can cause quite a challenge, so please do not hesitate to seek treatment, or learn more!
Take a Depression Screening now: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/
To seek treatment or learn more about depression, call Owens & Associates at (847)854-4333 for a free 15-minute consultation. We would much rather collaborate with you on your needs & symptoms, rather than see some of these statistics increase.
References:
https://www.mhanational.org/national-depression-screening-day