If you have read our introductory post, you should know that Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the top mental disorder experienced by people in Singapore (Institute of Mental Health [IMH], 2018).
1 in 16 people has experienced it sometime during their life, so it is no surprise that most people have heard of depression (IMH, 2018).
So what is depression exactly?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is ‘characterised by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks.’ (WHO, 2017).
Depression is more than just feeling ‘sad’. It is a severe mental condition that messes with your mind and causes you to feel unwell both physically and psychologically. Depression affects one’s feelings, thoughts and behaviours. It is hard for someone with depression to continue their daily lives, and they lose interest in things that they used to enjoy.
Depression may also affect one’s social life since they might withdraw from their friends and family. It can happen to anybody, from children to adults to the elderly.
An easy way to remember the symptoms of depression is by using the acronym ‘SAD CAGES’ (Health Hub, n.d.).
S - Sleep disturbances (Having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping for too long)
A - Appetite change (Having an increase in appetite or having a poor appetite)
D - Depressed mood (Feeling sad for a prolonged period; Is easily agitated or irritated)
C - Concentration problems (Unable to concentrate well; Having troubles with making plans and deciding; Being forgetful)
A - Anhedonia (Lose interest in the things that one used to enjoy doing; Withdrawing from family and friends)
G - Guilt or shame (Feeling guilt-ridden)
E - Energy and enthusiasm low (Lack of motivation, energy and enthusiasm to complete daily tasks)
S - Suicidal thoughts (Feeling hopeless and helpless which may cause suicidal/self-harming thoughts)
Of course, there are many other symptoms of depression since it varies from person to person. However, if you experience 5 or more of these symptoms consistently for 2 weeks, you may be suffering from depression (Health Hub, n.d.).
Depression is a highly treatable condition. Therapies such as Psychotherapy (Talk Therapy) and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been proven to help people suffering from depression. There are also medications to help people cope with depression.
If depression is not treated properly, it could lead to dire consequences such as suicide.
In Singapore, there were 397 reported cases of suicide in 2018, an increase of 10% from 361 cases in 2017 (Samaritans of Singapore [SOS], n.d.).
Among the 397 cases, 94 cases were from youths aged 10 to 29 (SOS, n.d.). 19 male teenagers (aged 10 to 19) committed suicide, a 170% increase from the seven cases in 2017 and is the highest number of cases since 1991 (SOS, n.d.).
As mentioned in the previous post, self-care is important not only for those with mental disorders but for those without as well.
Here is a video by Psych2Go on 10 Easy Self Care Tips for Depression. While the video focuses on self-care tips that work for people with depression, I feel that we can all learn some tips for ourselves even if we do not suffer from depression.
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what depression is and why it should be taken seriously. If you have anything to share with us, please do! We would love to hear from you.
For a list of helplines, click here.
In the next post, which comes out this Saturday, another common mental disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), will be discussed.
References
Health Hub. (n.d.). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/101/topics_depression.
Institute of Mental Health. (2018, December 11). Latest nationwide study shows 1 in 7 people in Singapore has experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime [Media release]. Retrieved from https://www.imh.com.sg/uploadedFiles/Newsroom/News_Releases/SMHS%202016_Media%20Release_FINAL_web%20upload.pdf
Samaritans of Singapore. (n.d.). When life gets to you, we provide a safe space. Retrieved from https://www.sos.org.sg/pressroom/total-suicides-increased-10-percent-male-teenage-suicide-highest-recorded
World Health Organisation. (2017, July 4). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/en/
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