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5. WHAT TROUBLE DOES A PERSON HAVE WHO HAS DEPRESSION? A person who has depression will usually feel most of the following things:
a. He will feel very tired all the time, even when he has not worked or exerted himself very much. He will be just as tired on days when he has rested as on days when he has worked hard.
b. His sleep will usually be affected in one of two ways. He will either go to sleep and then wake up during the night and remain awake, or else he will sleep too much - even during the day. He will not get restful sleep.
c. He will feel very irritable. He will get upset very easily over little things that ordinarily would not upset him.
d. He will feel very sad for no reason, and, in fact, may break into tears without knowing why.
e. His normal sex drive will be decreased; in fact, it often will go away altogether.
f. He will often have a headache that is present most of the time. Almost any chronic pain elsewhere such as in the stomach or back can be caused by depression. These pains are not imaginary; they are quite real and often severe.
g. He will find it difficult to enjoy things. He will feel little enthusiasm even for things he used to look forward to.
h. Hs will often be constipated or have other digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. He may lose or gain weight.
i. He will find it difficult to concentrate, make decisions, remember things and getting things done.
j. He will feel like he is an ineffective, worthless person, even though there is no reason to feel that way.
6. IS THIS REALLY A SERIOUS DISEASE? Yes. In a mild depression. the person will often think he just has a case of the blues, or that he is just getting older. His efficiency will be affected. In a more severe depression, it is a very serious disease. This disease can cause a previously healthy and happy person to kill himself.
7. CAN A PERSON DO ANYTHING TO FIGHT BRAIN DISEASE? Not by his own efforts. This is a disease over which a person has no control, and it will do him no good to "try to fight this myself."