Depression

Nurses have areas of expertise that provide them personal enjoyment in their career. These particular niche areas are limitless. This niche can focus on one or more of the following:

• Mental Health
• Children
• Management
• Surgical Procedures
• Treatment Procedures
• Critical Care
• Medical
• Recovery Room
• In Hospital Post-Surgical Patient Care
• Emergency Care
• Private Doctor Practices, and many more

Nurses also have areas that they do not excel in and would rather not work. This preference is reasonable and alright for each nurse. No nurse can enjoy every branch of nursing.

My unique niches were caring for children, the senior populace, and post-op patient care.

The areas that I found I could not deal with well were alcohol and drug abuse, and mental health. I would put on my running shoes and run from these areas as quickly as possible. If I had to work these units for whatever reason, I kept my opinions to myself and did the very best possible job I could do for the sake of the patient.

If you speak to any nurse, they will tell you that they have areas of nursing that they love and areas that they just cannot work with, because they have a distaste for that particular health field.

My dislike for mental health with a focus on depression stemmed from my early beliefs that the patient could control their depression, so I had no tolerance. I am the first to acknowledge how very wrong my thinking was during my early nursing years. Even so, this remained one of my least enjoyed areas of nursing.

My Personal Opinion (Years Ago)

Q. "Did depression get you down?

(My Answer:)

"Pull up your boot strings and get on with life!"

I always felt that when one is depressed, they should know enough to pull up their boot strings and get going with life, plain and simple. I found out the hard way that a depressed person could not just simply wish this illness away.

Depression in General

We Live in a Stressful World

The Many Faces of Depression

It was not until I went three days without sleep and had some severe situations arise in our family that I finally broke down, physically and mentally. I finally had to admit I was depressed and needed some short-term help from our doctor.

Depression is one of the most treatable mental illnesses. People just cannot help how they feel because depression has a lot to do with a change of chemical balance in the brain. Medication is the only thing that is going to bring these necessary chemicals within a natural balance. And, there is something said about prayer.

These days research has come up with some newer antidepressant medications that are safe and tolerable, showing fewer side effects, and showing a high level of efficiency.

Doctors treat no patient the same way with the same plan of care for wellness, because each person reacts to medication differently. No one treatment works the same for everyone. Some reasons for depression may require different treatment processes and various medicines. The levels of these drugs need to be monitored and adjusted for signs and symptoms of depression.

• Depression in children and adolescents
• Depression from bipolar disorder
• Depression related to alcohol and drug abuse
• Depression of the senior
• Postpartum depression
• Depression from neuroses
• Depression and suicidal thoughts

Depression is a mental illness that never goes away, but can be arrested and controlled. There is nothing to be ashamed of when symptoms of depression raise their ugly head. Everyone on this planet suffers from depression at some stage of his or her lifetime. Usually, these unfortunate situational episodes are short-term, and some people do overcome their depression without medicine or treatment.

Any number of things can occur with depression episodes such as hypo-mania. This is where the person has thoughts that come and go from the brain. These thoughts are too quick for the person to assess or sort out. The result is anxiety and confusion of the person affected.

Depression is a slow thought process. Strings of thoughts are so slow that the person loses the thought or the person cannot complete the entire thought. Sometimes the person gives repeated thought to unimportant and trivial issues.

A person who is obsessive and compulsive may have thoughts or ideas that occur to them repeatedly, which blocks the person's attention to a natural thought process.

For example, while I worked in the pediatrics unit at our local hospital, I cared for a cute little girl. This five-year-old was obsessive and compulsive, such as when she washed her hands, she would dry off her hands and have to go back and dry her hands the same way a few more times, always readjusting the hand-towel on the rack in the right position.

When I asked her why she felt the need to do this she told me, "The devil will get me if I don't." This little miss was at risk for chronic adult depression and an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Her need to do things were genuine to her.

Depression can stem from chronic health issues, the inability to function like you feel you should perform, and make you feel disconnected from family and friends and the rest of the world. You may feel inadequate in all you do and say to others.

Rejection by anyone makes you depressed, and the reasons keep adding up and soon take their toll on you to the point that you display signs and symptoms of depression.

Facing Unique Fears

I have taken care of several patients who attempted suicide due to depression. A doctor explained to me, years ago, that most people who try suicide do not want to die, so in some ways blotch their efforts at suicide because, in essence, they want help for how they are feeling.

Robin Williams

There are too many who succeed in their suicide attempt, such as Mr. Robin Williams, whom I can only assume wanted no further medical help.

Robin Williams must have been in so much pain and mental torment that he just wanted these feelings to stop. He must have constituted the decision not to want help anymore, merely only to end it all and bring peace to his agonized mind.

There are periods of depression when the person is so overwhelmed. These periods seem to come when there is a significant life-changing issue, such as divorce, a firing, death and much more.

Prevention of suicide is the first step of identifying depression-warning signs. The problem is that many people are embarrassed to have this mental health issue known and succeed in keeping their depression concealed most of the time. At this point, anyone can jump in and help the person.

Since we all know that Robin Williams was a gifted and very talented actor, he must have also been very good at covering up the hurt and pain he possibly endured. This scenario may or may not be the case, we will never know for sure, but can assume.

Suicide is, more often than not, a spur of the moment action, and if the depressed person does not desire to oppose this evil anymore, they will win in the efforts to end their life.

Offer Help to the Person with Depression

• Never ignore a person who is fighting depression.
• Help the depressed person seek professional help and counseling. Never ignore a person who is fighting depression.
• You Know the Person is Depressed, Offer Conversation and Ask Questions

The majority of people have heard and do trust that just mentioning suicide gives the person the idea to proceed to end their life. This thought is merely untrue. When you ask a depressed person if they are thinking of taking their life, it helps to get the problem out in the open. It is essential to allow the depressed person to vent; this allows the person to feel soothed and understood.

Be Aware of the Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Even though there are many different reasons for depression, there are a few basic signs and symptoms of depression.

• Feelings of acute hopelessness, anxiety, sadness, unworthiness, helplessness
• Despair
• No appetite or excessive appetite
• Insomnia or excessive sleeping
• Withdrawal and isolation from family and friends
• Withdrawal from usual friends and activities
• Inability to focus or concentrate
• Substantial problems, such as with alcohol and drugs
• Expression of "I want this over."
• Giving away valued possessions

Become Involved!

The individual suffering from depression cannot help themselves. It takes a family member, friend or co-worker to bring signs and symptoms to the surface for the affected person.

Q. Are you struggling with depression?

A. Learn about depression symptoms, warning signs, and causes, plus what you can do to feel better.

NIMH · Depression

*Depression is a serious medical illness; it is not something that the person made up in their head. Get help and start with the primary health practitioner.