Depression Alliance: Providing Information, Support and Understanding to People Affected by Depression
| Pages | 31-33 |
| Published date | 01 June 2004 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/13619322200400019 |
| Date | 01 June 2004 |
| Author | Sue Collinson |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Depression Alliance: Providing
Information, Support and Understanding
to People Affected by Depression
Sue Collinson
Trustee
Depression Alliance
epression is a serious medical
condition. In contrast to the normal emotional
experiences of sadness, loss or passing mood states,
clinical depression is persistent and can interfere
significantly with an individual’s ability to function.
There are three main types of depressive disorder:
major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and
bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).
Depression can devastate family relationships,
friendships and the ability to function well on a daily
basis and, too often, is associated with suicide. Sadly,
many people still believe that the emotional
symptoms caused by depression are ‘not real’, and that
a person should be able to ‘pull themselves together’
and shake off their ‘troubles’. Because of these
inaccurate beliefs, people with depression either may
not recognise that they have a treatable disorder, or
may be discouraged from seeking or staying on
treatment due to feelings of shame and stigma. In fact,
brain imaging research is revealing that in depression
neural circuits responsible for moods, thinking, sleep,
appetite and behaviour fail to function properly, and
that the regulation of critical neurotransmitters is
impaired (Soares & Mann, 1997).
Genetics research, including studies of twins,
indicates that genes play a role in depression.
Vulnerability to depression appears to result from the
influence of multiple genes acting in tandem with
environmental factors, while other research has shown
that stressful life events, particularly loss or
bereavement, may trigger major depression in
susceptible individuals (Mazure et al, 2000). The
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the
hormonal system that regulates the body’s response to
stress, is overactive in many people with depression.
Research findings suggest that persistent over-
activation of this system may well lay the groundwork
for depression (Arborelius et al, 2001). However, while
Dstudies of brain chemistry, mechanisms of action of
antidepressant medications, and the cognitive
distortions and disturbed interpersonal relationships
commonly associated with depression continue to
inform the development of new and better treatments,
the support and understanding of others are also
critical factors on the journey towards remitted
depression.
Major depression is the world’s number one mental
disorder (WHO, 2001). By 2020, it will be the second
greatest cause of disability in the developed world.
Significantly, nearly twice as many women (12%) as
men (7%) are affected by a depressive disorder each
year. Within the UK, the extent of the challenge
posed by mental illness, and by depression in
particular, has at last started to receive the attention, if
not quite the resourcing, that the problem requires.
We are now aware that one in four of us will at some
point suffer from a mental illness. Mental health is a
stated Department of Health priority and enhanced
training has enabled GPs and psychiatrists to become
significantly better able to detect, prescribe for and
manage patients with this disabling, painful and
sometimes fatal condition. Furthermore, it is now
recognised that effective caring for people with
depression goes wider than the clinical forum: social,
economic and environmental circumstances all have a
major impact upon the ‘mental wealth’ of every
individual. Because many of the triggers for
depression relate to life-shattering events such as
unemployment, bereavement or separation, the
sufferer can become withdrawn and isolated and thus
out of sight becomes, literally, out of mind.
Depression Alliance (www.depressionalliance.org)
works for the benefit of people suffering from
depressive disorders, their families and their carers. It
is a member-led organisation with offices in England,
Scotland and Wales. Many of those working for
Depression Alliance have themselves suffered from
depression or have experience as carers and are very
The Mental Health Review Volume 9 Issue 2 June 2004 ©Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) 2004 31
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