Number One Cause of Disability in Women--Depression by Carol A. Kivler, MS, CSP Imagine meeting someone at work, at the gym, or at a function and finding out that she has had clinical depression. What would your immediate reaction be? Would you think of her as negative minded? Selfish? Weak? Unintelligent? Crying out for attention? Believe it or not, these are all common reactions and misconceptions. Many of these misconceptions are due to a lack of knowledge of what depression really is. Major depression is not an attitude. It is not a personality dysfunction. It is not a flaw in character. It is not laziness or a call for attention. It is not hurt feelings or a reaction to a bump in the road. It is not contagious. Depression is not something that can be brought on or fought off by self-will. Depression is not something to be ashamed of. And most importantly, it is not something that should be ignored. Left untreated major depression can be life-crippling and even lead to death (by suicide). Fortunately, most women get better with treatment. No one wants to be depressed. So what is depression? Depression is an illness that affects the body, mood, and thoughts. About twice as many women suffer from depression as do men. Women are at an increased risk of depression if they have a family history of the condition, a chemical imbalance or changes in the brain chemistry, or another medical illness, such as a stroke, cancer, or Parkinson’s disease. Depression can be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. But true clinical depression (also known as major depression) is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period. The condition can be mild, moderate, or severe. While researching this topic, I found some startling statistics generated by The National Institute of Mental Health. Did you know–one in four women will experience severe depression at some point in life? Or that depression is the number one cause of disability in women. How about that at least 90 percent of all cases of eating disorders occur in women, and that there is a strong relationship between eating disorders and depression. Or that depression is more common than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined. How about–in general, married women experience depression more than single women do, and depression is common among young mothers who stay at home full-time with small children. And the most startling–only about one-fifth of all women who suffer from depression seek treatment. Depression is at an epidemic level yet most women struggle in silence not seeking treatment. There is no better time to educate, support, and advocate for an open dialogue around this debilitating illness. To understand and recognize depression and the symptoms associated with it, following is a self-assessment. Read through the list and check the items you agree with. I am sad almost all of the time. I have difficulty finding the energy to do even the simplest things. I have lost interest in most of the things I used to enjoy. I just want to sleep all the time and have difficulty getting out of bed to face the day. Or I am restless and find it difficult to sleep. I have lost my desire to eat; I have no appetite. I have lost interest in sexual intimacy. I am not able to focus or concentrate like I used to. I forget things and find it difficult to make even simple decisions. I am irritable and frustrated with everyone and everything. I have no desire to socialize and I avoid social functions. I don’t feel up to talking or emailing people. I feel achy and have physical pains that won’t go away. I have constant anxiety and fear, but I can’t pinpoint why. Nothing makes me happy, and I feel like there isn’t much point in living. I worry about things that rarely bothered me before. I feel bad about myself and don’t like what I see in the mirror. I find myself thinking about death a lot and wishing I could end my sadness. I sometimes think about how I might end it all. If you or someone you care about can check several items, I encourage you to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the items you checked on this list. You deserve to feel better. Don’t wait. Take the first step. Why? Today recovery is more a probability than a possibility. In the past, many people with severe clinical depression felt like there wasn’t any hope of reclaiming a full or productive life. And each time I speak to an audience about “living in recovery” from four severe bouts of clinical depression, they are astonished to learn that there exists recovery from major depression. They are literally awed to learn that the cheerful, successful, well “put together” woman standing before them was in a psychotic state some eleven years earlier. They are even more surprised to learn that between depressive episodes I went back to school, completed my master’s degree, left my job teaching at a college, and opened my own training company. Yes, recovery from clinical depression is not only possible, it is probable. When I was first diagnosed with clinical depression, I asked myself-- “Why me?” In trying to understand my diagnosis, I researched information and turned that question into, “Why not me?” With increased knowledge newly formed perceptions concerning clinical depression crumble the wall of ignorance. Yet the majority of the general population is ignorant when it comes to major depression. Lack of knowledge spawns ignorance. Ignorance generates fear, and fear leads to stereotyping and stigma. The time has come to recognize clinical depression as a treatable illness. An illness that no longer has to be hidden or ignored by one out of four women challenged by depression today. Carol Kivler, MS, CSP, is a passionate consumer advocate, speaker, author and the founder of Courageous Recovery. She speaks to consumers, their loved ones and healthcare professionals to raise awareness, instill hope and combat stigma surrounding mental health diagnoses and treatments. Along with Courageous Recovery, Carol is also the founder and president of Kivler Communications, which provides executive coaching and customized workforce development training. Carol lives in Lawrence Township, NJ and is the proud mother of three grown children and five grandchildren. She is an avid reader, life-long learner, gardener and amateur baker.