You may be depressed if . . .

While at a recent writer’s conference, five or six us started talking about depression. We went around the table.

“I’m on Prozac.”

“I’m on Welbutrin.”

“I’m on Paxil.”

Around the table we went: Celexa, Citalopram, Effexor and Zoloft.

Every single one of us was on an antidepressant! One was on an anti-psychotic—obviously a fiction writer. (See Are authors in their “write” minds?)

Depression is not simply a malady of writers and poets. It’s the most diagnosed mental illness in America, and at the same time, one of the least admitted to. After all people who are depressed sit in the dark all day eating their body weight in chocolate and writing really bad poetry. Right? Wrong!

Here are some signs that you may be depressed:

• lack of concentration (you’re reading this instead of doing what you should be doing)

• depressed mood or constant irritability significantly reduced interest or feeling no pleasure in activities

• significant weight loss or weight gain

• a decrease or increase in appetite

• insomnia or increased desire to sleep

• restlessness or slowed behavior

• tiredness or loss of energy

• feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate
guilt

• trouble making decisions or concentrating

• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide or a suicide attempt

If these symptoms last longer than two weeks at a stretch, you may be clinically depressed. (And all the prayers and positive-thinking you can muster may not change your mood.)

But help is available! The bio-chemical imbalance that creates these feelings, can often be corrected with anti-dpression medications.

So, if you or a friend are exhibiting these signs—or sitting in the dark all day eating his or her body weight in chocolate and writing really bad poetry—please seek one of the many treatment options available. (And here are some additional resources.)

Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)

Depression (WebMD)

Depression is real (American Psychiatric Association)

Depression (Teens Health)

If your thoughts go beyond depression to suicide, please click here for further help and hope.

Copyright © 2008 James N. Watkins

Related posts
• Are Authors in their write minds? (Depression in writers)
• Charles Spurgeon’s “fearful depression”
• Emotions real but not reality
• Mental health issue
• Writing in the dark (Overcoming depression as a writer)