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Depression at home
Depression at work
Depression in healthcare practitioners
Depression and social life
Depression in youth
Depression in seniors
Depression in times of crisis
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The impact of depression
on social life

It’s a painful cycle. Your depression symptoms can lead you to isolate yourself socially. And then in turn, being socially isolated can increase your depression symptoms.

People with depressive symptoms report having more negative social interactions and react more strongly to them than people who are not depressed. The main symptoms of depression that can affect your social life? Loss of interests, self-blame, impaired concentration and depressed mood.

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Here are some small steps you can take to improve your depression symptoms and your social life:

  • Build a support network. Reach out to friends and family, or join a support group.
  • Talk about it. Just talking about what you’ve been experiencing can help you feel better, so find someone you trust and have an honest conversation.
  • Spend time with a loved one. Try suggesting an activity you can do together, like taking a walk or watching a movie.
  • Ask for help. Your social network can be a source of comfort and strength for you, so don’t be scared to ask for help.

The information and resources below can help you start the conversation and find support.

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What is depression?

1 in 4 Canadians experiences depression serious enough to need treatment during their lifetime. So if you’re one of the people suffering, you are not alone.

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities that you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

Symptoms can vary from mild
to severe and can include:

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Feeling sad or having
a depressed mood

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Loss of interest or pleasure
in activities once enjoyed

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Changes in appetite – weight loss
or gain unrelated to dieting

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Trouble sleeping or
sleeping too much

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Loss of energy or
increased fatigue

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Increase in purposeless
physical activity (e.g.,
hand-wringing or pacing)
or slowed movements and
speech (actions observable
by others)

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Feeling worthless
or guilty

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Difficulty thinking, concentrating
or making decisions

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Thoughts of death
or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks
for a diagnosis of depression.

Risk factors for depression

Several factors can play a role in depression:

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Biochemistry:

Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms
of depression.

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Genetics:

Depression can run in families.
For example, if
one identical twin

has depression, the
other has a 70 percent
chance of having the
illness sometime
in life.

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Personality:

People with low self-
esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress,
or who are generally
pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.

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Environmental factors:

Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

Depression can affect anyone – even a person who

appears
to live in relatively ideal circumstances.
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Recognizing anxiety symptoms associated with MDD

Depression is often accompanied by anxiety symptoms, and symptoms of anxiety may be assessed as part of a diagnosis of depression.

Up to 90% of depressed patients experience anxiety symptoms

Determining the severity
of anxiety symptoms
associated with MDD

To help recognize and rate
the severity of anxiety
symptoms associated with
MDD, we use the term
“with anxious distress”.

Anxious distress is defined as the presence of at least two of the following
symptoms during the majority of days of a major depressive episode:

1

Keyed up
or tense

2

Unusually
restless

3

Difficulty concentrating because of worry

4

Fear that something awful may happen

5

Afraid of
losing control

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Mild
anxiety

2 symptoms

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Moderate
anxiety

3 symptoms

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Moderate-severe
anxiety

4-5 symptoms

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Severe anxiety

4-5 symptoms
with
motor agitation

If you feel that you are experiencing anxiety along
with your depression, speak to your doctor.

Facts about depression

Both men and women suffer from depression.

Although both men and women experience depression, women are twice as likely to receive treatment for depression. This may be due to higher rates of depression in women; it’s also possible that women are more likely to seek help than men. Depression symptoms may be different in men and women. For example, depressed men typically have a high rate of feeling irritable, angry and discouraged, while depressed women can feel sad or “empty” and lose interest or pleasure in activities.

Depression is common.

1 in 4 Canadians experiences depression serious enough to need treatment during their lifetime. Remember, you are not alone!

Depression is not just a temporary change in mood, a character defect or a sign of weakness.

Depression is a real medical condition and more importantly, there is treatment available.

There are ways to monitor depression symptoms.

Your doctor can monitor your symptoms through a series of assessments. There is no shame in seeking help for a medical condition like depression. Don’t feel like this is something you need to deal with on your own.

Depression affects many parts of your life, not just your mood.

You might be surprised to hear that depression can affect things like your feelings, moods, energy levels and ability to think.

It’s not something you can just “snap out of”.

Several factors, including differences in certain chemicals in the brain, genetics, personality, or environmental factors may play a role in depression. You can’t just tell yourself to stop – depression is a real medical condition.

Depression can be emotional, physical, and cognitive.

You may be experiencing the following things: you’ve stopped enjoying things you used to or have lost interest in activities; feeling down, depressed, or hopeless; sleeping too much or not enough; losing energy or feeling fatigued; not eating enough or eating too much, weight gain or loss; low self-esteem, feeling guilty or like a failure; trouble thinking, concentrating on things or making decisions; moving or speaking more slowly than you used to, so that other people have noticed, or being so restless that you’ve been moving around a lot; and thoughts about hurting yourself, or that you would be better off dead. It’s important to know that you may not experience all of these symptoms and the severity, frequency and duration can vary. As well, you may not have the same symptoms as someone else who has depression. Talk to your doctor about all of your symptoms.

Consult your doctor before making any adjustments to any medication.

It’s so important that you follow your doctor’s instructions regarding any medications you may be taking, and continue to take it as prescribed – after all, your doctor prescribed it for a reason.

There are several ways to treat depression – not just medication.

You may think that your doctor can only prescribe drugs, but there are many different ways to treat depression. Your doctor could suggest counselling and behaviour modification, such as “cognitive behavioural therapy” or CBT. CBT is given by a psychologist and helps people develop problem-solving skills and strategies to deal with their depression. It also helps people recognize distorted thinking and then helps them change behaviours. If necessary, your doctor can prescribe antidepressant medication. You can work with your doctor to help manage your depression.

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Tips that may help

  • Try to eat a healthy diet throughout the day.
  • Stay active! A good goal is half an hour of moderate exercise, three times a week.
  • A balanced lifestyle can help you take care of yourself. Don’t run yourself ragged!
  • Check out a yoga or meditation app.
  • Turn to your family and friends – they are there to help!
  • Isolation and inactivity can make depression worse, as well as alcohol or drug abuse.
  • Try to do something you enjoy at least once per day.

Look out for number one (that’s you!)

By putting yourself first and focusing on managing your depression, you will be better equipping yourself to handle the obligations in your life.
It’s easy to let yourself get distracted, but so important to take care of yourself first, before taking care of others.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family or friends to help balance things while you focus on yourself.

Goal setting

Working toward specific goals can help you live the life you want while managing depression. You may start
with setting one small goal to accomplish each day (e.g., writing down 3-5 things you’re grateful for in a journal
or going to sleep an hour earlier than usual). Ask yourself, "What's one thing I can do today that helps me get closer to where I want to be?" Once you become more confident, you can work on accomplishing larger, more long-term goals. Think of the short-term goals you set as stepping-stones to your larger recovery goal.

To help you figure out what goals to set, think about:

  • What’s important to you?
  • What are your hopes and dreams?
  • What would you like to do more of?
  • What does being happy mean to you?
  • What is an area of life you would like to improve (e.g., relationships)?

Short-term goal ideas

  • Be out of bed by a certain time
  • Finish a household task
  • Call a support group
  • Spend some time with family or friends
  • Go for a walk in nature
  • Stick to a daily schedule

Long-term goal ideas

  • Improve or build a relationship with a friend or family member
  • Find a job that you enjoy
  • Earn a degree
  • Get involved in the community

Download this form to help keep track of your short- and long-term goals.

GOAL SETTING FORM ICON Download goal setting form Download goal setting form button

My symptom journal

Download this helpful journal to help keep track of your symptoms.

SYMPTOM JOURNAL ICON Download symptom journal Download symptom journal button

Online resources

Here are some helpful online resources you can access relating to the impact of depression on social life.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Depression: An information guide.

https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/guides-and-publications/depression-guide-en.pdf

WebMD. 6 common depression traps to avoid.

https://www.webmd.com/depression/what-to-know-about-depression-and-work

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the websites mentioned above.

Looking for more information?

For more information about depression and its treatment, or to find help and resources,
you can refer to the following websites:

MOOD DISORDERS SOCIETY OF CANADA

mdsc.ca/

CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.aspx

CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

cmha.ca/document-category/mental-health

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/factsheet/depression

MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA

mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/

GOVERNMENT OF QUEBEC

https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/mental-health-mental-illness/depression

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the websites mentioned above.

Learn to support loved ones who are struggling with their mental health

The Be There Certificate is a learning experience aimed at providing you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health.

Be There Certificate

betherecertificate.org

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the websites mentioned above.

We hope you find this information helpful. Don’t hesitate to discuss any questions or concerns that you have about MDD and the impact of depression on your social life with your healthcare provider.

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