Is It Depression or Is It the Blues?

Have you ever wondered if what you are feeling is true depression, or simply a period of feeling down or “blue”?

Although we may not welcome them, challenges and losses are built into the fabric of our lives, so occasional periods of sadness are natural.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about what we often consider “negative” feelings is that they are actually our body’s way of letting us know that we need to do something.That “something” could be letting the tears and sounds of sadness or grief flow to allow the natural expression of emotion that is part of experiencing, then releasing, emotions.Or it could be a signal that we need to take some action in an area of our lives that we are unhappy about.It can be helpful to see such feelings as messages from the higher Self that are meant to prompt us to express, act on, or work through and accept a situation in our lives.

Often just talking things through can help you through a period of the blues. Airing out the issues can put problems in perspective and allow you to move on.Our spouses, family and friends can be sources of support as we navigate life’s difficult passages.If a more concentrated approach with an objective support is needed, counseling is the treatment of choice; specific problems can be discussed, goals defined, and resolve enhanced.

But if such feelings continue for more than two weeks, you may wonder if you need additional help.Could it be clinical depression?

What is Clinical Depression?

From the perspective of Western medicine, here are some facts about clinical depression:

* Clinical depression is a physical, mental, and emotional imbalance that hurts!

* Severe depression can actually cause physical pain.

* Clinical depression is a brain-based condition that affects the prefrontal cortex, especially the left brain, as seen in SPECT scans:this reveals that it is a biological condition, not something that is “just in your head.” Realizing that the mind and body affect each other is helpful.

* Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D., is the leading expert on the development of the Brain SPECT, which shows in holographic form what happens to our brains under various conditions.Visit his website http://www.amenclinics.com/bp/atlas/ch7.php for amazing pictures of the brain showing increased or decreased activity in the brain when depressed.

* As the images on Dr. Amen’s site demonstrate, there are various types of depression.Some forms affect parts of the brain other than the prefrontal cortex.For example, symptoms of moodiness, negativity, low energy, sleep and appetite problems, and poor concentration may indicate increased deep limbic system (thalamus) activity.

* More painful and difficult symptoms such as sadness, negativity, irritability, worrying, cognitive inflexibility, and getting stuck or locked into negative thought patterns, are often associated with increased activity of the anterior cingulate thalamus and basal ganglia.This part of the brain is heavily innervated with serotonergic nerve fibers; among other things, the right amount of the brain chemical serotonin gives us more self-confidence, and a feeling of safety and security.

* Symptoms of sadness, irritability, rage (toward others, or towards the self in the form of suicidal behavior), mild paranoia, atypical pain (atypical headaches or abdominal pain), and insomnia can be connected to decreased prefrontal cortex activity with increased or decreased temporal lobe activity.

How Do I Know if I Have Clinical Depression?

The American Psychiatric Association has developed a system of understanding different disorders based on symptoms.“Major Depression” implies that you have had a depressed mood or have felt a loss in interest or please for more than two weeks.Other symptoms may include increase or decrease in weight, sleeping too much or too little, agitation, irritability, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, and difficulty thinking or concentrating.A professional adept at teasing out the symptoms can help you to determine if you are “the blues,” a relatively temporary state, or actual clinical depression.

When life hits us too hard or with repeated blows, it can result in physical, neurological, and chemical changes that lead to clinical depression. The brain may not be able to adjust so easily on its own, and it may be helpful to enter into psychotherapy to dig deep, release the emotional pain, and attempt to work through the problems in talk therapy.Movement and exercise are also extremely important.

If brain functioning has been significantly disrupted, it can be helpful to consider medication, typically antidepressants, as an adjunct to therapy to help rebalance brain chemistry.Depending on the type and severity of depression, a period of months with medical support can redirect brain activity back to its capacity for joy.

This is a clinical and medical approach to depression.There are many other approaches as well that can be used solely or in conjunction with a medical approach.Future blogs will delve into holistic, alternative, and complementary approaches!

May the Light within in you guide your way forward.