Alpha-1 Advocacy Alliance - Emotional Support

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Testing for AAT Deficiency
Simply click HERE Alpha One International Registry
provides AAT Deficiency Testing. This AAT Deficiency Testing is a
COMPLETE CONFIDENCIAL TESTING SERVICE
and WITHOUT COST TO YOU.
This testing will include measuring the CONCENTRATION of AAT in your blood, determining the TYPE of ATT in your blood and (where appropriate) determining your AAT genotype by testing the DNA in your blood; State of the art, full-spectrum Alpha-1 Testing .

Please read the detail at: AAT Deficiency Detection Center

Group Therapy for
The Alpha-1 Patients and Family

Depression

        It is common for people coping with any medical illness to have a bad day or even a bad week, now and then. Routine nutrition and management of your medical needs may become stressful and exhausting. Support from family and friends may not be available when you need it. Your illness often means increased financial burden because it may interfere with your job. Therefore, it is natural for an individual with Alpha 1 or any chronic illness to find coping sometimes difficult.

        Depression is a common disorder affecting about 20 percent of us. If your normal coping skills become ineffective and you find it difficult to function on a daily basis, it may be time to reexamine your emotional mental health status.

        For individuals with Alpha 1, the need to adjust to a new view of oneself begins at the time of their diagnosis. People pass through several stages before they begin accepting their new selves and achieve inner peace. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross purports that we go through all or part of the following “Five Stages of Change”.

Shock and Denial-appear dazed and refuse diagnosis

Anger-question their fate “Why me?” and become angry at God, a friend or a family member

Bargaining-attempting to negotiate with physicians, friends or even God

Depression-starts with anticipation of the losses; jobs, economic hardships, and helplessness

Acceptance-resolving ones feelings about their health
        Depression often starts out as a reasonable response to a life stressor, which then becomes overwhelming. Depression is a treatable condition that affects one physically as well as how one thinks. Depression may last a few days, or a long time. It may appear for no apparent reason, or it may occur as a direct result of a stressful event, such as receiving news you have Alpha 1.

        The following are symptoms of depression. Ask yourself “In the past two weeks”, have I experienced any of the following:

Depressed Mood

Crying

Recurrent thoughts of death

Insomnia

Guilt feelings

Physical slowness or fatigue

Difficulty concentrating or memory problems

Agitated feelings or behaviors

Increased anxiety or fearful feelings

Bodily complaints, (gastrointestinal problems, etc.,)

Loss of sexual desire, or pleasurable feelings

Weight loss, (and sometimes weight gain)

Depersonalization (everything seems "unreal")

Paranoid thoughts

Obsessive or Compulsive symptoms

        If you have had five or more of the above symptoms and they have lasted more than two weeks or you feel as though the symptoms interfere with your daily functioning, see your doctor. To help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis here are areas of your life you may want to include in the discussion:

Recent changes or stress in your life

Family history of depression or other emotional problems

        Do not feel hopeless. There are a variety of treatment options for depression including medications and psychotherapy. Your doctor can assist you in deciding which course of treatment is best for you. It is important when doing psychotherapy that you work with a therapist whom you can establish a good relationship. Depression is an emotional condition with cognitive and social/interpersonal repercussions. Therefore, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders and substance abuse could accompany the depression.

        Depression is usually associated with a life stressor or change in life circumstances. Five typical problems areas are:

Loss or death of a close relative (or friend, pet, loved or prized object)

Interpersonal problems or disputes with spouse, lover, other family members, friends, co-workers

Role transitions (a new job, divorce, going away to school, relocation, economic or other family stressors, moving to new stage of life)

Loneliness or social isolation

Diagnosis of chronic medical condition

            The causes of depression are complex, rooted in the experiences and relationships of each person, or underlying biological factors. It may be as normal as mourning, or feeling sad.

        A current popular belief is that depression is due to a so-called "biochemical imbalance" in the brain. While there is a biological connection between states of mind (the emotions) in the brain and changes in concentrations of neurotransmitters in various nerve tracts, they remain just that, connections because of similarity. The cause is still complex and unknown. Recent scientific discoveries about the human genome have confirmed that purely genetic factors for human behavior are insufficient to understand the diversity of psychological problems.

          Biological theories of Depression are the rationale for the prescription of psychotropic medications like Prozac and Celexa. The fact is that such drugs work sometimes, but not at all times, or for all people. However, a combination of medications and cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy in conjunction seem to work best.

    There are various physical conditions or illnesses that can mimic the symptoms of depression. One of the most common is an under-active thyroid gland; this condition is hypothyroidism. Diabetes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and any number of other diseases can also be responsible. You should always check your physical health first with your doctor.

    Depression is also a condition that can piggyback on other psychiatric or emotional patterns of behavior. Some examples include eating disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. Since depression affects and is affected by one's experiences in relationships, adjusting our relationships or even our way of relating can significantly affect or improve our mood.

        Treatment not only improves your mood, but also improves physical health, quality of life and ability to self-manage your illness. Most people treated for depression early feel better and notice a return to normal activities within several (two to six) weeks. Early identification and treatment can prevent future episodes of depression.

Here are some tips for coping with Depression

Do not expect too much from yourself. Avoid setting difficult goals or taking on too much responsibility until you are feeling better. If you have to make a major decision, seek help from friends or family members you trust, or from a professional.

Keep reminding yourself that depression does not mean weakness, laziness or lack of will power.

Be patient. It may take from two to six weeks to feel improvement from treatment.

Seek education and support through reputable organizations. These organizations offer free information on sign/symptoms, treatment options, available support groups in your area, and reputable journal articles and books on depression.

Included on the website is a Depression Questionnaire.

Depression Questionnaire

Please rate from 0 (Absence of Symptoms) to 4 (Extreme Presence of Symptoms) the following statements, based on your feelings or experiences over the past couple of weeks:

1) I feel gloomy and pessimistic about the future, just hopeless. _____
2) I feel guilty and blame myself for the things I have done. _____
3) I feel life is not worth living, and have thoughts of taking my own life. _____
4) I have difficulty going to sleep at night. _____
5) My sleep is restless and disturbed. _____
6) I wake earlier in the morning than I used to, and cannot get back to sleep. ____
7) I feel extra anxious and restless when awake (play with hands, hair, nail-bite, wring my hands, etc.) ______
8) I feel nervous, tense, or frightened, or fearful of being out of doors. _____
9) I suffer from headaches, stomachaches, shakiness, or palpitations. _____
10) My appetite is less than usual, or I have no appetite at all. _____
11) I feel tired, or heavy in my limbs, back, or head. _____
12) I have no interest in sexual activities. _____
13) I am worried about disease or problems with my body. _____
14) I have lost a lot of weight recently (or gained a lot of weight recently). ______
15) I feel that everything is unreal or that the world seems remote, strange or changed. _____
16) I think that people are talking about me, or laughing behind my back. _____
17) I have uncomfortable thoughts in my head that will not go away. _____
18) I find I have to do things a special way or a certain number of times. _____

Scoring
Scoring 2 or more on 5 or more items, is suggestive of a mild depression. Scoring 3 or more on 5 or more items, or having an overall score of more than 20 for all items, is suggestive of a serious depression. In any case, if you are feeling as if problems with mood (or any other symptom) are affecting your life, no matter what your score on this questionaire, you should contact a mental health professional.

Pat Slavin, LCSW biography here.

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