Depression Info Sheet

Symptoms of a Depressive Episode
depressed mood	loss of interest or pleasure	significant weight change	diminished concentration
sleep difficulties	fatigue nearly every day	feelings of worthlessness	recurring thoughts of death
Symptoms must cause significant distress.	Symptoms must last for at least two weeks.

Demographics	Risks for Depression
·Women are 2x more likely to develop depression.	·   Family history of depression or similar disorders.
·   About 1 in 10 people will experience depression during their lifetime.	·   Poverty, unemployment, social isolation, and other stressful life events.
·   Most people experience their first depressive episode between ages 20 and 30.	·   Regular drug and alcohol use.

Psychotherapy(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

CBT works by changing self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. CBT has been found to be equally, if not more effective than medicine in many cases. CBT is the most researched form of psychotherapy for depression.

Medication(Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

SSRIs increase the level of serotonin (a chemical related to depression) in the brain. Studies suggest that SSRIs are most effective when used to treat severe depression. SSRIs don’t work overnight—it might take up to 6 weeks before they reach their full effect.

A combination of both psychotherapy and medication has been found to be the most effective form of treatment.
Other Facts
·   Over ½ of those diagnosed with depression also suffer from anxiety, such as self-defeating thoughts.	·   Physical exercise has been found to have a significant antidepressant effect.
·   60% of those who die by suicide suffer from depression or a related mood disorder.	·   Depressive episodes also occur during bipolar disorder alongside manic episodes.

 *this worksheet was taken from therapistaid.com.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share via Email
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Reddit

This post is also available as a podcast!