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diagnosis

Depression Diagnosis – 2: What Does It Mean to You?

by John Folk-Williams 6 Comments

Once you have a depression diagnosis, what does it mean to you? I’ve heard a lot of reactions, ranging from a feeling of comfort to dismay to a shrug of the shoulders.

A diagnosis is simply a name given to a set of symptoms, but it’s usually wrapped inside a number of messages, whether spoken or implied. Your response could depend on a specific message that’s delivered with the diagnosis. Given the authority of psychiatrists and other physicians, it’s easy to confuse the two.

Filed Under: Psychiatric Treatment Tagged With: diagnosis, disease, hope, medication, message, neurotransmitters, symptoms

Depression Diagnosis – 1: The Person or the Disorder?

by John Folk-Williams 8 Comments

Depression diagnosis 1

A depression diagnosis usually marks a turning point in your experience of the illness. Up to that point, you may have downplayed the seriousness of mood problems, or you may have been less aware of feelings and focused instead on pain or insomnia or some other physical symptom.

When things get so bad that you can’t lead the life you’re used to, then you know you need help but may still have no idea what the cause is. So you head for the doctor’s office – whether it’s your primary care physician or a psychiatrist – and hope they’ll be able to tell you what’s wrong and do something about it.

Filed Under: Psychiatric Treatment Tagged With: diagnosis, DSM, psychiatry, symptoms

The Quiet Crisis of Chronic Depression

by John Folk-Williams 18 Comments

Andrea Mantegna Presentation at the Temple (Detail)

Chronic depression, also known as dysthymia, is supposed to be a milder but longer lasting form of the illness than the more episodic and severe variety known as major depressive disorder. Yet I have come to believe that no form of diagnosable depression should be called “mild.” My concern is not about the accuracy of […]

Filed Under: Depression Symptoms Tagged With: awareness, diagnosis, identity

Fighting Back to Recover from Depression

by John Folk-Williams 10 Comments

Oak Tree Reflections

Stories about the struggle to recover from depression tell of repeated efforts to find a way to live well despite the recurring burden of illness. For me the key lesson is that each person in these stories keeps trying, despite repeated setbacks. I recently came across a research study that says the same thing in […]

Filed Under: Recovery Stories Tagged With: acceptance, change, diagnosis, motivation, optimism

Ending Antidepressant Treatment

by John Folk-Williams 36 Comments

depression medication pills

After about 18 years of non-stop, mostly ineffective antidepressant treatment, I’ve brought this long experiment to an end. I had been wearing Emsam patches for the past six years, but I’ve been fairly sure for some time that they had stopped working. It seems I was right. Getting off the drug has made no difference […]

Filed Under: Depression Treatments Tagged With: antidepressant, diagnosis, medication, psychiatry, treatment

Has Depression Become Part of Your Identity?

by John Folk-Williams 106 Comments

I can pinpoint a moment when I came to believe that depression was not just an illness that struck from time to time but part of my identity as a person. I was talking with a friend one day about how big a problem depression had become. He thought it must be brought on by […]

Filed Under: Purpose, Self-Esteem Tagged With: depression, diagnosis, identity, self

What Doctors Do When Depression is a Pain

by John Folk-Williams 2 Comments

I’ve had my share of problems with pain as well as with depression, but it never occurred to me to link the two until recently. Apparently, that’s true for most people with major depression, especially if physical pain is the first sign of the illness. They know they’re in pain, and depression is the last […]

Filed Under: Depression Treatments, Psychiatric Treatment Tagged With: diagnosis, pain

Are You Leaving Anything Out When You Talk about Your Depression?

by John Folk-Williams 2 Comments

What are you referring to when you say, I’m depressed? Where do you draw the line between symptoms of depression and everything else that you consider to be just who you are? I ask because this word, “depression” seems to be losing its boundaries, if it ever had any. This isn’t an academic question. I […]

Filed Under: Depression Symptoms, Psychotherapy Tagged With: diagnosis, symptoms

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Living Depressed

Depression affects emotions, mental abilities, self-concept, behavior, relationships and the entire body. These core posts describe the full range of symptoms affecting daily life. Read More.

Choices in Healing

Hoping for recovery gives you a motive but not a method for getting there. This section has posts about therapies and healing methods you can work with either on your own or with professional guidance. Read more.

Living Well

If you've learned how to manage your depression, you'll want a fulfilling life rather than one dominated by fear that the illness might return. In this section, you'll find posts about how to work toward that goal. Read More

Relationships in Crisis

One of the hardest challenges of living with depression is holding onto your closest relationships. This section features posts on how to help a relationship survive. Read More.

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