Stress Illness Brochure (4)

Continuing with Part 4 of the Stress Illness brochure:

III. A Disease Called Depression

Stress from Depression can be difficult to pin down.  Depression can get mixed up with the other stresses, or it may show up all by itself.  Surprisingly, many people with the disease we call Depression do not feel particularly depressed.  Other symptoms that Depression can cause include the following:

  • Difficulty sleeping, especially causing you to wake up early in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep easily
  • Losing enthusiasm for activities you used to love
  • Poor appetite or increased eating
  • Fatigue or low energy level
  • Crying for little or no reason
  • Thoughts of suicide

If you have any of these symptoms, let your doctor know right away.  There are excellent drug treatments available that are not addictive or tranquilizing.  Alternatively, your doctor may recommend individual counseling to teach skills to improve your mood and sense of self-worth.

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