Quick self-assessment! 

Are you dealing with depression?

Have you lost interest in activities you enjoy? 

Have you been feeling this way for at least 2 weeks now? 

If you’ve answered yes to both questions, you might be depressed.

What is Depression?

Depression is an illness that affects your mood and thoughts. It is also called “clinical depression” or “major depressive disorder”.

When you’re depressed it… 

• Affects your work
• Interrupts with your sleep
• Messes up your appetite for food 

Furthermore, it differs from the usual feeling of sadness.

Therefore, being depressed is stubborn; A good thing is that it’s curable!

11 Signs and Symptoms That You Are Suffering From Depression

Sadness isn’t the only sign of depression. 

Some people may not even feel sadness at all! 

 

There are plenty of indicators that you may have depression. Some of these symptoms include:

1. Feeling anxious

2. Pessimism

3. Helplessness

4. Loss of interest in hobbies or activities

5. Fatigue

6. Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or deciding

7. Difficulty sleeping

8. Appetite and/or weight changes

9. Thoughts of death or suicide attempts

10. Restlessness or irritability

11. Headache, muscle cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause

4 Shocking Statistical Facts About Depression In The USA

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the world. 

For some, major depression can cause severe impairments. As a result, this can limit your ability to carry out major life activities. 

Here are 4 statistical facts showing the impact of depression nationwide:

1. The leading cause of disability for ages 15 to 44.3.

2. Major Depressive Disorder affects over 16.1 million American adults.
   
   With that being said, that’s about 6.7% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a year.

3. While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5 years old.

4. More prevalent in women than in men.

October 11 is National Depression Screening Day

Mental Illness Awareness Week is held every October.

National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) comprises awareness events that include an optional screening component.

Health screening is a way to catch an illness early, even when there have been no visible signs.

Having said that, catching illness early allows for timely treatment. This will help you prevent the risk of complications.

Much like other illnesses, screenings provide an easy way to spot signs of depression. 

With that being said, this can reach people who might not seek professional medical advice. 

5 Apps That Can Exactly Monitor Your Moods

Your moods are part of your emotional rhythm. 

Having said that, understanding your moods may help you work out what causes them.

As a result, this will help you determine how you behave. 

Because of technology, you can easily keep track of your mood with mobile apps.

Here are 5 apps that can monitor your moods, behaviors, and thoughts:

1. Moodily – This app enables you to keep track of your mood over time.
   In addition to that, it allows you to see which activities may have caused such moods.

2. MoodPanda – Provides graphs and calendars for analysis of your moods.
   In addition to that, you can get support and advice from the MoodPanda community

3. MoodKit – A mobile app designed to help you apply effective strategies of psychology to your everyday life!

4. Daylio – This mobile app enables you to keep a private journal without even typing.

5. Mood Tracker – A web-app that lets you track important health measurements on a chart.

Holistic Ways to Support Depression and Mood Disorders

Treatment for depression focuses on antidepressant medications.

On the other hand, there are actually holistic ways to support it without breaking the bank.

Here are holistic ways that you can try to lift your mood: 

1. Sleep hygiene – Are bedtime routines that help promote good sleep using behavioral interventions. 
2. Healthy nutrition – What you eat affects what you feel. In case you didn’t know, eating nutritious food can strengthen your mental health. 
3. Movement – In case you didn’t know, movement is effective at reducing symptoms of depression.
   As a result, movement can give you energy, motivation, and productivity boost.
4. Sunlight/Vitamin D – Getting some sun boosts serotonin levels, this helps you stave off depression.
   In addition, when you’re exposed to a healthy dose of sun rays, you’re likely to experience the benefits immediately.
5. Relaxation techniques – A daily dose of relaxation is important for managing depression.
   
   Here are some relaxation techniques to help ease depression. Try the ones that appeal to you:

• Yoga
• Biofeedback
• Massage therapy
• Breathing exercises
• Going for a long walk
• Listening to upbeat music

6. Combating negative thinking – Most depressed people are not aware that the hopelessness they feel flows from their negative thoughts.
   
   Having said that, combat negative thinking with positive thoughts. This can actually help ease depression.

How to get support

A pandemic may be keeping us from our normal routines. 

But, that doesn’t mean we will take our mental health for granted. Especially if you’re dealing with depression and other mood disorders.

Willow Place for Women is offering support for women with depression. We offer PHP and IOP programming that includes: 

• One-on-one therapy sessions
• Group Counseling 
• DBT Skills Training 
• Nutrition counseling, and more! 

Are you battling with mood disorders? If so, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and get professional help today.