People with Depression Affects Emotion and Mood
By Honor Blanco Cabie
Medical experts say when people have depression, the health state affects their emotions and mood, and twists their thought processes as well.
Depression can also affect people physically, even causing body aches and pains.
Experts point out not everyone who is depressed shows that in exactly the same way.
There are those who may still be in control of their senses and manners, and doctors say that can be a positive sign for quick recovery.
Depression is a strong mood that involves sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer, according to experts.
It may have helped that Rosenda has a doctor-brother and an offspring who knows how to parry off the muscles of this mental state, particularly since people struck by it may not realize they are depressed.
Each of her relations knows depression can be treated, if properly handled.
”Because self-critical thinking is part of depression, some people might mistakenly think of themselves as a failure, a bad unit of society, a quitter, a slacker, a loser, or a bad person,” experts say.
Rosenda had agreed to the suggestion of her neurologist to meet a psychiatrist, Dr. Liezel Fulgencio, in her mid 30s, who struck her as a compassionate person during their first meeting and the subsequent ones at the multi-level Marikina Valley Medical Center where the doctor has a clinic.
One bad thing for Rosenda is that sessions with the psychiatrist are not covered by her health care provider, unlike consultations with her other doctors.
The 45-minute talk therapy session – the succeeding ones were 30 minutes each – had the usual psychiatrist’s “Good evening ma’am, what is your problem” – a question that ushers in a friendly question-and-answer interchange in the doctor’s air conditioned clinic.
She was feeling better after a few sessions, but when the husband, noted for his incorrigible sense of humor, learned how much his wife paid for each session, it was his turn to be depressed.
Psychotherapy experts have said because depression might affect how a person acts, it can be misunderstood as a bad attitude.
Some say “other people may think the person isn’t trying or not putting in any effort as when a negative or irritable mood can cause someone to act more argumentative, disagreeable, or angry.
“That can make the person seem difficult to get along with or cause others to keep their distance. Low motivation, low energy, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of ‘so what?’ and ‘what else?’ can lead a person to go on a detour of the normally taken daily route.”
They say some people with depression can have other problems and can have rising feelings of worthlessness and even inner emotional pain.
Experts agree that when depression is recognized and treated early on, it can often pave the way for other problems to get treated as well.
But they say that if it is not treated, is ignored for whatever reason, it can remain bad or become even worse.
According to some experts, a doctor can check for any health conditions that might be causing symptoms of depression.
“For example, conditions such as hypothyroidism can cause a depressed mood, low energy, and tiredness. Mono can make a person feel tired and depressed,” the experts claim.
In addition to a checkup with a doctor, it helps to meet with a mental health professional, according to one neurologist, speaking on condition he would not identified.
“A psychologist, psychiatrist, or other therapist can evaluate and diagnose depression and create a plan to treat it,” some experts say.
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