AND/OR
It's three o'clock in the morning, and you're wide awake-again-staring stupidly at a Bonanza rerun. You haven't slept all night in over a month...
AND/OR
You've been crying almost every day over little things, things that normally wouldn't make you blink, much less bawl.
AND/OR
You've been irritable, short-tempered, snapping at everyone from your partner to your parents to your boss. Everything anybody says to you seems to be exactly the wrong thing...
You're depressed.
I'm not talking about "depressed" the way it's used in every day conversation, as in "I'm so depressed that Anne and Ellen broke up." I'm talking about clinical depression, a mental illness that affects up to twelve million women every year. I'm talking not only as a counselor but also as a survivor of severe depression. And I'm talking about getting an accurate diagnosis and getting help.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION?
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Edition (Read: psychiatrist's bible), symptoms of depression include:
- depressed mood (as my oldest niece would say, "Duh!")
- loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- significant unintentional weight loss or weight gain
- sleeping too much or not being able to sleep enough
- feeling worthless or guilty
- having trouble thinking clearly or making decisions
- thinking obsessively about death or suicide
If you're not sure whether or not you're suffering from depression, there are also a few online self-tests which check for symptoms of depression. My favorites are the NYU School of Medicine Online Depression Screening Test and the test at Depression-Screening.org.
Better yet, if you think you may be depressed, talk with your doctor or a trained therapist.
WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?
The shortest and most honest answer is that no one knows exactly what causes depression. It's probably a combination of several factors including:
- genetic or inherited tendencies
- chemical imbalances in the brain
- self-destructive or negative thought patterns such as thinking in absolutes ("I always screw up" "I'm never good enough")
- environmental factors such as prolonged stress, abuse, lack of social support, etc.
WHY IS DEPRESSION A "LESBIAN ISSUE?"
Depression is a women's issue, since according to the National Mental Health Association, women are diagnosed with depression at nearly twice the rate of men.
Beyond that, though, lesbians may be at even greater risk than heterosexual women because of the added environmental stressors we often face due to our sexual orientation.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Debra L. Stang's Lesbian Issues topic, please visit the Discussions page.