I was compensated by Med-IQ through a grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. and Lundbeck to write about depression awareness. All my opinions are my own.
In the famous words of Elvis Presley, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.” If you’ve ever felt the sting of pain during the holidays, you aren’t alone. For many of us, especially military families, we can feel homesick, miss our old duty station — or worse — miss our deployed service member. The stress, pressures and financial expenditures of this magical season can impact even the jolliest of us. As you can see, there are numerous reasons we may feel a bit “blue” around the holidays.
But sometimes it goes deeper than that.
Perhaps you can’t pinpoint an external reason why you feel sad, tired, or why you have lost interest in activities you once enjoyed. Maybe you can’t just “perk up” and “snap out of it,” as others have encouraged. The idea of wrapping gifts, cooking, or attending holiday parties isn’t appealing as it was in past years. Perhaps you’ve come to realize that you’ve felt this way for quite a while, but felt you couldn’t talk about it. If so, have you considered that you are experiencing depression?
If suspected depression is affecting you or a loved one, please read on to learn more, and discover how your contribution to a depression survey might win you a $100 VISA gift card.
When It’s More than “The Blues”
Whereas “the blues” may have you temporarily down and those feelings may be based on identifiable external circumstances, depression can come from an unseen source and leave you with feelings of hopelessness. Please know that with depression, there isn’t always a reason you can pinpoint to explain your feelings — they just are there, impacting your everyday life. And please know that you don’t have to suffer alone.
Do You Have Depression?
First and foremost, it is important to impart that depression is a serious medical condition, not a personal failing. Depression is a brain disorder and can negatively influence the way you think, feel and act. You may be suffering from depression if you experience: feelings of sadness; loss of interest in activities you once loved; weight loss or weight gain; anxiety; change in sleep patterns; fatigue; or thoughts that life is no longer worth living. We want you to know that:
- You aren’t alone. As many as 1 in 15 adults experience depression each year, and 1 out of 6 adults experience it at some point in their life. Women are especially affected — 1 out of every 3 experience depression in their lifetime.
- Depression is a medical condition. Depression isn’t your fault, and like other medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, it can impact anyone; it doesn’t discriminate.
- Depression can be treated. You aren’t stuck — there are options to help you feel like yourself again. Don’t wait, talk your healthcare provider about treatment so that you can once again function optimally in your everyday life.
Depression Survey and a Chance to Win a $100 VISA Gift Card
Military life is stressful and Army Wife 101 has teamed up with Med-IQ to help improve the mental health of our military community. Med-IQ is an accredited medical education company that provides an exceptional educational experience for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals, and they need your input!
If you feel you may be suffering from depression, please take this survey (which takes less than 10 minutes to complete) to be entered into a drawing to win 1 of 10 $100 VISA gift cards. Upon completion of the survey, please email surveydepression@gmail.com and indicate you have taken the survey to be entered to win a VISA gift card. (Please note that no personal information will be kept, sold, or stored in the survey completion process.)
Click HERE to take the survey.
Make Your Holidays Happy Again
Please remember that your mental health is important. In order for you to function in ways that you feel good about, and to make the most of your time with family, friends and loved ones, your health comes first. It is the best present you can give to yourself and to those you love.
Learn more about depression and the holidays by clicking here.
This above link is provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; it is not intended and should not be construed as legal or medical advice, nor is it an endorsement of any healthcare provider or practice. Med-IQ bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
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Army Wife 101
Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market. She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries.
Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market.
She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries.