Depression Questions

101 Question and Answer Results
  1. FAQ: What Can I Say to Someone Who Seems Depressed but Won't Get Help?

    Here's how to approach someone who seems depressed but is in denial about it or refuses to get medical help:
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  2. FAQ: What Are the Dangers of Untreated Depression?

    Concerns about symptoms of depression should always be taken seriously. Depression causes significant disabilities and problems of many different kinds:
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  3. FAQ: What Should I Do if I Feel Suicidal?

    First, tell someone close to you rather than keeping suicidal thoughts to yourself. You may be reluctant to "burden" a loved one, but people who are suicidal and share their feelings with others are much less likely to go through with it. The real "burden" comes from committing suicide and leaving loved...
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  4. FAQ: What Should I Do if I Think Someone I Know Is Suicidal?

    If you don't know the person well:
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  5. FAQ: Is Depression a Normal Part of Aging?

    No, it's not normal to develop depression as one gets older. Depression is all too common, but it's never normal. Depression is an illness.
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  6. Is It Normal Not to Feel Social After Someone Close to Me Has Died?

    You might expect that extroverts would want to be around other people while they grieve. But even the most gregarious extroverts have been known to bow out of social situations while they're mourning. This is considered a normal response to grief, especially in the initial months after a loss.
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  7. Is It Normal to Wish I Could End My Own Life After My Loved One Has Died?

    In a word, yes. A lot of people don't like to admit that, in the aftermath of their loss, they wish they could end their own life, but that just might be the most undocumented response to grief.
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  8. FAQ: How Is Depression Different From Sadness?

    Depression is an illness, whereas sadness is an emotion. Sadness is a part of the human experience for everyone. It's usually triggered by a loss or the memory of a loss. If one takes time to experience the feeling rather than ignore it, it will usually gradually dissipate...
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  9. FAQ: How Is Depression Different From a Bad Mood?

    A mood is a feeling, whereas a depression is a chronic illness. Neither feels good, and both can seem to go on and on -- a mood can persist for hours or days. But depression lasts even longer and is physically harmful.
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  10. FAQ: How Is Depression Different From Burnout?

    Depression is a physical illness. Burnout is an emotional fatigue triggered by ongoing and severe stress. Burnout can definitely lead to depression, though, so it's important to pay attention to it.
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  11. FAQ: Is It Possible to Have Depression if I'm Still Able to Run My Life?

    It's possible for someone to function in everyday life despite having depression, because depression is an illness that has a range of severity. Those who have a relatively mild form of depression may feel unhappy, have difficulty experiencing joy, and have a number of physiologic effects, but these...
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  12. FAQ: Can Depression Be Treated With Medication Only?

    Yes, it's possible to treat depression with medication only, in some cases -- however, almost every study done highlights that the most effective treatment is a combination of antidepressant medication and talk therapy.
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  13. FAQ: How Do I Find a Therapist to Treat Depression?

    Here's how to find a therapist to treat depression:
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  14. FAQ: How Do You Know How Serious a Case of Depression Someone Has?

    If the depression is causing someone to be socially withdrawn, dysfunctional to the point that he or she can't work or do basic household chores, and the person is talking or thinking about suicide, that's clearly severe. If, despite a lack of joy and in spite of having the physiological symptoms of...
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  15. FAQ: Is Depression a Normal Part of Menopause?

    No, depression isn't a normal part of menopause. Depression, although all too common, is never normal. Depression is an illness.
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  16. FAQ: How Is Depression Different From Grief?

    Grief is a normal emotional response to a loss. Depression, too, can be triggered by a loss (as well as other stressors), but it's a physical illness and therefore not a normal condition. Here's how they compare:
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  17. How can I get my father to stop yelling at me?

    Before you do anything else, it is important for you to talk to your father about his behavior, and it's effect on you. He may be elderly and unhappy, but that does not give him the right to abuse you. Unless he is suffering from some type of mental illness, there is absolutely no excuse for his behavior, and you should not tolerate it...
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  18. Can depression cause panic attacks?

    Panic attacks are are the sudden onset of severe anxiety associated with a number of physical symptoms. The most common associated symptoms are sweating, shortness of breath, heart pounding, dizziness and chest pain. They are very frightening, and, if you are experiencing panic attacks, you may end...
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  19. How can I care for my brother, who has mental health issues, from a distance?

    It is difficult to provide care for a relative who lives far away. From what you have said, I suspect your brother has had mental health issues most of his life; his tendency to isolate himself socially and to look at "life from a different angle" and seclusive nature indicate that he may always have...
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  20. How Do I Know Which Is the Best Antidepressant?

    There's no single "best" antidepressant. The doctor prescribes what seems like the most appropriate antidepressant for a specific situation, set of symptoms, and health history.
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