Shades of Blue

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Shades of Blue

• Grief and Depression in Chronic Illness
• Ramita Bonadonna, PhD, RN

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Grief

• Is a normal emotional response to a loss of
  someone/something valued
• A person living with IPF has experienced many
  losses
• Healthy self-image medical care becomes
  central
• Decreased ability to engage in physical, social
  activities
• Altered social, economic status

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Grief can look like

• Anger, irritability, impatience
• Sadness, tearfulness
• Exhaustion, fatigue, heaviness
• Poor concentration/memory
• Yearning for what has been lost, preoccupation
  with past

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Grief can become complicated

• Absence of any emotion may indicate delayed grief
  response
• Depression is one type of distorted grief
  reaction

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Of course Im depressed...

• Depression affects 1 in 10 people with chronic
  medical illness
• Depression is one of the most treat-able of
  mental disorders
• Untreated depression impacts the immune system
  and can complicate recovery from acute episodes
  of illness

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Criteria for Major Depressive Disorder

• Either depressed mood or loss of
  interest/pleasure for 2 wks, plus 4 of the
  following
• Weight loss/gain
• Insomnia/hypersomnia
• Restlessness/lethargy
• Fatigue
• Worthlessness
• Diminished ability to think
• Recurrent thoughts of death/suicide

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Factors that increase risk of Depressive Disorder

• Prior episodes, family hx of depression
• Female gender
• Lack of social support
• Stressful life events
• Personal hx of abuse
• Current substance abuse

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If you suspect you might be depressed

• Seek help! Discuss your concerns with your
  primary care provider or a mental health
  professional.
• The combination of psychotherapy and medication
  is the most effective treatment for depression.

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If someone you care about seems depressed

• Let them know you are concerned about their mood.
• Ask about suicidal thoughts.
• Listen.
• Use the 211 Hotline in crisis situations and to
  identify mental health resources in your
  community.

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• And in the end, it's not the years in your life
  that count. It's the life in your years.
  
• Abraham Lincoln