Therapeutic Word of the Day: Depression

“Like a broken arm, depression is a medical condition. If you think it is a choice, you have never had it.”

Depression is most likely the most misunderstood condition there is. In the past, depression was often viewed as a choice. I have been told people who are depressed are just “drug addicts who need a fix”. Anyone who has taken depression medication will understand how ludicrous this statement is, especially with the side effects of those medications.

In truth, depression is a medical condition where the brain is not producing the correct amounts of neurotransmitters needed for proper functioning. Depression affects the limbic system, which controls mood, sleep, energy levels and appetite. Brain scans of people with depression show damage to the Limbic system, which most likely accounts for their symptoms.

In short, Depression is a very specific form of brain damage. The good news is the Limbic system can improve over time if stress levels are reduced, as stress and anxiety fuel depression.

Depression is not a bad day, it is a medical condition that can be devastating.

Nathan Driskell
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