Welcome to depression choices! Provided by e-healthcare solutions

Coping with Depression

Content Source: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Responding to Traumatic Events

When we witness or experience a traumatic event, such as an act of violence or a natural disaster, we are affected mentally and emotionally. Whether we are personally involved in the incident, have family or friends who are injured or killed, are a rescue worker or health care provider, or even if we learn about the event through the news, we will experience some sort of emotional response. Each of us will react differently and there is no right or wrong way to feel. The emotional response each person has is a normal part of the healing process.

What you might feel

Though everyone is affected differently at different times, you may experience:

• Numbness, inability to experience feelings, feelings of disconnectedness

• Changing emotions such as shock, denial, guilt or self-blame

• Extreme sadness, crying

• Mood changes such as irritability, anxiousness, nervousness, pessimism or indifference

• Inability to concentrate

• Recurring memories or bad dreams about the event

• Social withdrawal, isolation, strained personal relationships

• Physical symptoms such as unexplained aches and pains, nausea, fatigue, loss of energy

• Changes in eating habits or sleeping patterns

• Increased consumption of alcohol

These feelings, a normal part of grieving and recovering from any trauma, are also symptoms of situational or reactive depression. If these feelings persist for more than two weeks or begin to interfere with your daily living, if you are abusing alcohol or illegal drugs, or if you have thoughts of death or suicide, they are symptoms of a more serious episode of depression. This is a heightened reaction to an abnormal situation, not a character flaw or sign of personal weakness. 

Depression is a treatable medical illness. Most people respond to treatment and are able to bring their lives back into balance. The number of traumatic events you have previously experienced may also affect your response. Pay attention to your own symptoms, and be ready to seek a doctor’s help if your symptoms should persist or worsen. If you’re not sure if your symptoms are part of your grieving or something more serious, seek the opinion of a doctor or therapist, early. Don’t wait for your symptoms to become severe. 

The healthiest things you can do for yourself and your loved ones are: be alert to changes in your feelings and moods, allow yourself time to heal and feel free to seek appropriate assistance. We know from a variety of studies that the chemistry in the brain changes in response to trauma. Seeking assistance from a health care professional after experiencing trauma is a reasonable response to a medical issue. The aftereffects of a traumatic experience are not something you can “pull yourself out of” or “toughen up” enough to “snap out of.” The best response to trauma-related depression often involves three things: medical intervention, therapeutic assistance and peer support.

If you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide, contact your health care provider, a family member or friend, or call 911 immediately. 

How to Cope with Depression After Trauma

The healing process after a traumatic event takes time, especially if you have experienced a personal loss. It is helpful to:

• Allow yourself time to grieve. Don’t try to rush your own recovery or hide or deny your feelings.

• Talk to friends and family members about how you feel. Ask for support from people you trust.

• If the trauma you are coping with is prominent in the news media, limit your exposure to it. Get the facts you need, but try not to focus all of your energy on the disturbing event, reports and images of which may be repeated many times in the news.

• If you attend a support group, or have in the past, spend time at support group meetings or use other resources the group provides.

• Keep to your daily routine. Even if you don’t feel like it, do your best to eat balanced meals and get plenty of rest.

• Continue taking any prescribed medications. Discontinuing medication or changing the amount you take can make your situation worse.

• Stay physically active. Even light exercise such as walking can help minimize physical effects of stress.

• Avoid making major life decisions during a time when you are under a lot of stress.

• Don’t use alcohol or illegal drugs to cope with the stress. If you find you are unable to stop drinking or using, talk to a trusted friend, family member or a health care provider, or contact a recovery program such as Alcoholics Anonymous, whose phone number can be found in your local telephone book.

• Find out how you can help or get involved. Volunteer to give blood or donate money or clothing to a local charity. Contribute in any way that feels right to you.

• Spend time doing things you enjoy. Paint a picture, work in your garden, play a musical instrument, watch a movie, play with children, spend time with friends, or something else that helps you. You may want to listen to music or read a book before going to sleep, rather than watching the news.

• Get help for yourself if you need it. Don’t feel ashamed, afraid, or guilty about talking to a doctor, therapist, or member of the clergy if you need to. Be honest about all of your symptoms. You have every right to feel the way you do.

Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” is an important part of treatment, which can work alone in some cases. A good therapist can help you work through the feelings you are having and develop skills to help with your recovery.

There are many effective medications available to treat depression today. Depression involves an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, and medications work on the brain to bring these chemicals back into balance. There is no more shame in taking medication for depression than there is in taking medication for diabetes, asthma, or other medical conditions.

How to Help Others Cope

Sometimes friends and family may respond to a trauma differently than you do, even if they have experienced the same traumatic event. There is no right or wrong way to deal with a traumatic event. You may want to:

• Be on the lookout for others’ signs of stress. Listen to others and allow them to express their feelings and reactions.

• Respect the fact that others may respond to trauma differently than you do. Seek ways to support them that work with their own unique experiences and responses.

• Give support and companionship. This involves understanding, patience and encouragement. Invite the person for walks, outings and other activities.

• Avoid telling someone to “get on with life” or that “things could have been worse.”

• If a friend or family member is in need of a doctor or counselor’s help, assist him or her in getting that help. This may involve making an appointment and accompanying him or her to the appointment.

• Take any remarks about suicide seriously. Make sure the person discusses these feelings with his or her doctor immediately. Go with him or her to see a doctor or counselor if necessary. If you believe immediate self-harm is possible, call 911.

If you are experiencing stress or depression due to the trauma, you may be less able to help others. If so, be patient with yourself and seek others who can step in and assist your friend or family member who needs help.