Andrew Weil on Depression

I recently received one of Dr. Andrew Weil’s tips of the day that focused on depression. I thought that I would reproduce some of the article here because it contains some useful information on depression. In the article, he differentiates between “situational depression” and more chronic “clinical depression.” He offers some warning signals, symptoms, that may indicate that a person is feeling depressed. And his conclusion is one that is sound: a person experiencing these symptoms, and certainly those that are persistent, should talk to someone. He advises that that someone be a therapist. And while I second that, it is important that a person reach out to someone: it may be a family doctor, it may be a therapist. Here’s an excerpt from the article by Dr. Andrew Weil:

Depression is now considered common, affecting about 340 million people worldwide. Although treatable, about half of all cases of depression go undiagnosed and unaddressed. Situational depression is a typical and normal reaction to events, such as a recent loss, and is simply part of the human experience. Rather than suppress situational depression, it is best to work through these periods with help from psychotherapists or counselors. A more serious medical diagnosis is clinical depression – it can also be triggered by a recent loss or other sad event, but then grows out of proportion to the situation and persists longer than appropriate, affecting emotional health. Clinical depression often requires other forms of treatment in addition to counseling and therapy.

If you are experiencing any of the following, which are common symptoms of depression, make an appointment to talk with a therapist:

A sullen mood
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt and anxiety
Loss of interest in things that used to be pleasurable
Change in appetite
Change in sleeping patterns
Inability to concentrate
A lack of energy or feeling run-down.

Comments are closed.