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The impact of depression
on home life

Daily life – from cooking to appointments to laundry—can start to feel draining and overwhelming when you have depression. Maybe finding the motivation and energy to participate in the daily activities of your home life has become a big challenge.

MAN READING BOOK ON COUCH

Your depression may also leave a mark on your relationships with
loved ones. Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can cause
you to withdraw, and symptoms like fatigue and irritability can be
misinterpreted, causing conflicts.

If your depression is affecting your home life, it’s time to seek help.
The information and resources below are a great place to start.

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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.

Depression is common.

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

There are ways to monitor depression symptoms.

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

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

Depression can be emotional, physical and cognitive.

Consult your doctor before making any adjustments to any medication.

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

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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.

My symptom journal

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

Online resources

Here are some helpful online resources you can access relating to depression at home.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). When a parent is depressed.

https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/guides-and-publications/when-a-parent-is-depressed

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

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 depression at home with your healthcare provider.