GRIEF, LOSS & DEPRESSION
Grief and loss can feel a lot like depression and if not managed well may over time become depression. Although depression can be complicated some of the basic felt experiences of depression include: absence of pleasure, lack of satisfaction, no desire or no energy to do anything, indifference, apathy, boredom, pessimism, unexplained tearfulness, apathy, low self-confidence, feeling despondent, gloomy, dejected, forlorn, profoundly sad or unhappy, moody, miserable, drained, hopeless, and for some feeling or acting self-destructive and/or suicidal.
There may be an increase or decrease in appetite, loss of sexual interest, substance use.
Depression may look and feel like loss of ambition, lack of humor, defeatist, indecisiveness, decreased concentration, 'spacy', skeptical, regretful, ashamed, very sensitive to criticism and rejection, self-pity, sarcastic,suppressed rage, lost, empty, futureless.
Again, a particular person may have some and hopefully not all of these experiences. The treatment that has been found to be most successful is a combination of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and medication. It is possible for some people to work through a depression without medication. Again it depends on the Frequency, Intensity and Duration of the Depression; and if there is a history of Depression in the Family of Origin.
Treatment of Depression includes recognizing when the feelings first begin & if something happened to lead to depression. Sorting out ones life situation is essential. Only when absolutly necessary will medication be included in treatment because some people benefit from medication either on a short term or long term basis.