Depression is in my family. In fact, the black dog and it’s nasty cousin, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, often dominate my family. I’ve seen Mum’s highs, lows and general quirks more times than I could possibly count. I’ve seen her struggle to cope when crisis strikes. And I’ve seen her create a crisis for no apparent reason. You’d assume I’d be an expert at identifying the signs and symptoms of depression. But I’m not.
Me & Mum celebrating after a Fun Run
You see, I’ve inherited a few of Mum’s personality traits. Which means that if I’m sad or stressed or stretched beyond my comfort zone, I can act a little bit like she does. Then I start to panic. Am I acting ‘normally’? Can I cope? Uh-oh….. I don’t want to get out of bed, so I must be depressed. Surely. Because depression is in the family. For some reason my brain is just waiting for Mum’s depression to be passed on.
So far, these concerns have been nothing more than voices in my head. I’ve been told countless times that I cope well with stress and am incredibly resilient. So I’ve decided to ditch the drama and deal with diagnosis. Am I depressed? To date, no. But in future if I think I am, I’ll compare my symptoms with the ones listed below. It makes a lot more sense than letting the racing thoughts take over.
Wether you’re worried about yourself or someone else, a good conversation is a great place to start. From there, book an appointment with your GP or give the Beyond Blue Infoline a call on 1300 224 636. The questions listed below are simply a guide to point you in the appropriate direction.
Is this depression?
These questions are from the K6 assessment of symptoms of depression and anxiety. It’s used all around the world and is the assessment that we use in Spring.
For each question, respond with one of the following answers:
All of the time (4 points), most of the time (3 points), some of the time (2 points), a little of the time (1 point) or none of the time (0 points). You’ll end up with a score out of 24.
During the last 4 weeks (28 days), how much of the time did you feel….
So sad nothing could cheer you up?- Nervous?
- Restless or fidgety?
- Hopeless?
- That everything was an effort?
- Worthless?
If you score 12 or more, please seek help straight away. If you score 2-12 you are still showing some symptoms of depression and anxiety. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by seeking help, in person or over the phone. Remember that depression is real and it does not discriminate. There are people out there who can help.
