In Ireland, it is estimated that approximately 150,000 people per year are living with severe depression.‘Talking Depression’, acampaign by Janssen Sciences Ireland UC, encourages people living with severe depression to take the first step towards finding the right support by having an open and honest conversation with someone they trust.
As part of the Talking Depression campaign, Dr Lorcan Martin, Consultant Specialist in General Adult Psychiatry, answers some questions about severe depression, providing useful information for those who want to learn more.
Q. What is severe depression?
Dr Martin: “Severe depression is diagnosed when at least five symptoms of depression (which must include depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in activities) cause clinically significant distress or impaired functioning almost every day for at least a two-week period. Severe depression can affect people differently, there are many different symptoms and people can experience some or all of them.
“Severe depression is often categorised as being a general lowering of mood which persists for a period of time but not everyone experiences this. For some, it is a case of experiencing no emotion at all.
“Symptoms of severe depression can include: Little or no enjoyment of life; a loss of motivation; a loss of interest in things that previously would have been of interest; a loss of concentration; becoming more withdrawn; poor sleep; loss of appetite.
Some people living with severe depression may have tried different treatments that did not help their symptoms. It takes time to find out what works best for each individual.”
Q. What can happen when a person’s depression becomes severe?
Dr Martin: “When the person’s depression becomes severe, they often can’t function. They might pull away from family and friends or stop working. Some people might experience delusions which present as false beliefs for example, thinking that they have lost all their money when they haven’t or believing they are responsible for disasters that occur in the world. They might also experience hallucinations, participate in self-harm or consider suicide.”
Q. If I’m experiencing these symptoms, what should I do?
Dr Martin: “If you recognise any of the symptoms of severe depression, your first port of call should be to visit your GP who can make an initial assessment of your symptoms and initiate a treatment pathway for you. Milder forms of depression might be managed by your GP, but more severe forms of the disease will require you to be referred to a consultant.”
Q. What advice would you give someone who feels anxious about attending medical appointments?
Dr Martin: “Many people can feel anxious about accessing medical care so I would always encourage people to speak to someone they trust about the feelings they are having as that person can act as a great source of care and support. What can sometimes help is to consider bringing someone along with you to your medical appointments as they can act as a second pair of ears in the room when a lot of information can be imparted by your doctor.”
Q. What can a person do if they notice a friend or family member is experiencing symptoms of severe depression?
Dr Martin: “Often the person living with depression might not recognise the symptoms themselves and often it can be close family members, friends or work colleagues who notice a persistent change in mood. We all experience feelings of low mood at times but people living with depression experience this feeling for long periods and have a feeling of constant heaviness.
“If you have noticed these changes in a person close to you, reach out to them and ask them how they are feeling and let them know you are there for them if they want to talk. Oftentimes, that first conversation can be the turning point for a person to seek support from a healthcare professional.”
Q: How can you support someone living with depression?
Dr Martin: “If you’re supporting someone who lives with depression, you can help them by:
- Taking the time to listen to them without judgement or criticism. Avoid pushing the person to talk more than they want to. Your loved one will share their thoughts and feelings with you, only when they are ready.
- Encouraging them to seek professional help and offer practical support in doing so, like making appointments, giving them a lift and accompanying them on their first visit.
- Educating yourself on what they are going through so you can provide better support. Recovering from depression requires time, patience and understanding – it helps if you develop your own support network to lean on too.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Janssen With Me website has a range of videos, articles and other online resources designed to support people living with severe depression, featuring broadcaster Elaine Crowley and adventurer Dane Galligan, as well as a video with Dr Martin. To access these resources, visit https://www.janssenwithme.ie/en-ie/depression/
In the case of an emergency, call 112 or 999 or alternatively contact your local mental health unit or hospital.
