WEB Vetnews May 2015

People I Mense

I owned a dog called Maxi, a beautiful, all-black Staffordshire terrier. The bad guy in this story came along and forced us to relocate to a new house, where no pets are allowed. Maxi thus also relocated and was welcomed at my brother-in-law’s, on a beautiful farm in Lindley in the Free State.

Maxi

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Carien Human

T he moral of this story is not the fact that I suffered a moderate depression when Maxi left, neither is it about how I desire to live on a farm in the Free State. The moral of this story is that Maxi is extremely happy on the farm. And a wise vet assured me that bringing her back to Jozi will cause her to be really depressed. I know this to be true, because I know that depression is a reality. Depression is a well-known diagnosis, word and expression of how you might be feeling. It is of major concern that so many people use anti- depressants, even from a very young age. Yet, I don’t think that we always understand what depression really is and how serious we should be about it once we realise that it is the problem. Therefore, I thought it best to zoom in on what a depressive episode really is. Should you, while reading this, realise that it is something you are struggling with, please do not hesitate to contact a professional counsellor in your area or phone the SAVA-hotline for support or a referral. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (fifth edition), lists certain criteria that are required for the diagnosis of a major depression episode. These include depressed mood or loss of interest in daily activities, for more than two weeks (i.e. your mood being different than usual). During these two weeks or more you will also find that your functioning in many important areas, e.g. occupational or social environments, is impaired. It is a good idea to also consider how your friends perceive changes in your social functioning. There are also more specific symptoms, of which five of the following nine symptoms have to

be present and be experienced almost every day: • Feeling sad or irritable most of the day, nearly every day; • Decreased interest or pleasure in most activities (this can’t only be work…); • Significant weight changes, both ways; • Changes in sleep – also both ways; • Feeling much more or much less active; • Fatigue or loss of energy; • Feelings of guilt or worthlessness; • Difficulties to concentrate or think as always; and last but not least • Suicide ideation or thoughts of death There are many things that can cause us to be distressed and later even depressed. For some it is relocating, for some it is unaddressed burnout, severe loss or disappointments. Genetics or growing up in difficult circumstances can also trigger a diagnosis like depression. Or maybe you feel like Maxi might have felt, coming from beautiful Free State landscapes, where you felt free and happy and suddenly you find yourself in a grey, dirty city (metaphorically of course, at least a part of me really loves Johannesburg). The most important thing to remember is there is no need to stay in the grey dirt! You are allowed to go to the free- roaming fields of the Free State if you just choose to do so. Make sure that you get there by getting the kind of help you need as soon as possible. May we all find ourselves in our “happy fields!” v Regards Carien Carien Human is a psychologist in Johannesburg.

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Mei/May 2015