00:00Christine, I've been feeling super depressed lately.
00:02Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
00:03Yeah, I haven't seen a doctor, but my WebMD searches are really freaking me out.
00:08How do I know I'm not just really in a rut?
00:15Well, depression is the most common mood disorder.
00:18350 million people have been diagnosed with depression worldwide.
00:22It's the leading cause of disability.
00:24There's a few different mood disorders under the umbrella of depression,
00:29but let's talk about major depression.
00:33Depression isn't just sadness.
00:35Nope, sure isn't.
00:37No, it's a serious mood disorder that colors the way you see the whole world.
00:41According to the DSM-5, major depression means experiencing five or more of these symptoms.
00:48You're depressed every hour of the day.
00:50You're disinterested in everything.
00:53Maybe your weight is fluctuating dramatically.
00:56Your sleep pattern's messed up.
00:58You don't feel like you have any energy.
01:00You feel worthless, hopeless, and overwhelmed.
01:03You can't concentrate on anything.
01:05You think about suicide on a near daily basis.
01:08Even though these symptoms are behavioral and emotional and mental,
01:13they're all very real and they're very valid.
01:15And they stem from a real biological basis.
01:17You're just so wrapped up in your head with all the things you need to be doing,
01:22or just like the way that you're feeling, that you do nothing.
01:26Then that even also feels worth because you're like, I'm sitting here doing nothing.
01:29And then you have all those feelings that come with that on top of the depression.
01:33Then it's like, am I just lazy?
01:35Is this what it is?
01:36Yeah, I didn't choose to feel this way.
01:38No, you can't just snap out of it in the same way you can't just snap out of a broken
01:44arm.
01:46The first step to treating depression is seeking help.
01:50Feeling scared or overwhelmed, it's normal.
01:53But with the help of a mental health professional, it can be treated.
01:59So, why do people always bring up exercise in relation to depression?
02:03Like, what does that have to do with anything?
02:04Well, regular exercise is clinically proven to improve mental well-being.
02:08One hundred.
02:09Because physical activity increases serotonin reuptake.
02:16Also, journaling your feelings, behaviors, and thoughts really helps.
02:21Do you ever journal?
02:23I don't.
02:24Oh, you really should.
02:25You'll start to learn what triggers your depression, and over time, you can understand how to manage
02:29your state of mind.
02:31And done.
02:35Ah.
02:36I feel better.
02:38It's also important to talk about it.
02:41Talk therapy can help you develop good coping strategies to deal with everyday stress.
02:45Commercials make it seem like you can just fix a chemical imbalance instantly with medicine.
02:49Pfft.
02:50Oh, but researchers are learning that it's way more complicated.
02:55More complex than that.
02:56Oh, how?
02:57Well, research finds that people with depression have differences in certain brain areas, hormones,
03:03sleep patterns, and neurotransmitter levels.
03:05The most common prescription antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors,
03:12SSRIs.
03:14Yes.
03:15To be honest, researchers aren't entirely sure how these drugs work, but one theory is that
03:21they modulate the way your brain absorbs serotonin and amplifies its feel-good capabilities.
03:29SSRIs seem to work for some people, but not all, and they do tend to take weeks to kick in.
03:34Depression is so hard to identify and to think I've been feeling this way the whole time.
03:39Well, yeah.
03:40I mean, it takes the average person ten, ten years to seek treatment for depression.
03:46Can you believe that?
03:47The first steps can seem insurmountable, but don't panic, Jess.
03:51You're okay.
03:52You're gonna get through this.
03:54You're more than your feelings.
03:57If you're concerned that you have major depression, please go talk to your doctor.
04:02Okay.
04:03I think I'm ready.
04:05Great.
04:06There are a ton of free resources available, like these ones!
04:12Let's hug it out.
04:15So, just wondering, how do you deal with your depression?
04:21Well, I'm a puppet.
04:24I don't have depression.
04:26Yeah, I just, I thought I'd ask.
