A healthy mind, as well as a healthy body, are equally important in living a long and happy life. Depression and dementia are two of the most common conditions that affect the health of our minds. Read on for more information.

Depression
 

Depression is a common experience. We have all felt 'depressed' about a friend's cold shoulder, misunderstandings in our marriage, tussles with teenage children - sometimes we feel 'down' for no reason at all.

However, depression can become an illness when:

• The mood state is severe
• It lasts for 2 weeks or more and
• It interferes with our ability to function at home or at work.

Signs of a depressed mood include:

• Lowered self-esteem (or self-worth)
• Change in sleep patterns, that is, insomnia or broken sleep
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Less ability to control emotions such as pessimism, anger, guilt, irritability and anxiety
• Varying emotions throughout the day, for example, feeling worse in the morning and better as the day progresses
• Reduced capacity to experience pleasure: you can't enjoy what's happening now, nor look forward to anything with pleasure. Hobbies and interests drop off.
• Reduced pain tolerance: you are less able to tolerate aches and pains and may have a host of new ailments
• Changed sex drive: absent or reduced
• Poor concentration and memory: some people are so impaired that they think that they are going demented
• Reduced motivation: it doesn't seem worth the effort to do anything, things seem meaningless
• Lowered energy levels.

If you have such feelings and they persist for most of every day for two weeks or longer, and interfere with your ability to manage at home and at work, then you might benefit from getting an assessment by a skilled professional.

Having one or other of these features, by themselves, is unlikely to indicate depression, however there could be other causes which may warrant medical assessment.

If you think you might be depressed, see your general practitioner. For more information go to the Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue or call Call 1800 18 SANE (7263).

If you are feeling suicidal it is very important to seek immediate help, preferably by a mental health practitioner.

Dementia

Most people with dementia are in the older age bracket but it is important to remember that dementia is not a normal part of aging and that older people do not always get dementia. Research shows that the changes in the brain that result in dementia may start decades before any symptoms appear.

How can you reduce your risk of developing dementia? Risk factors for dementia are the same as for other chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke. Reducing obesity, lowering cholesterol and a moderate alcohol intake can reduce risks. Doing puzzles and quizzes, eating fish, exercising and reducing fast food consumption may help as well. Attend the Mind Your Mind & Memory Matters session run by Alzheimers Australia NT at Palmerston Library on the 8th May to learn more.

Early signs of dementia can be subtle and include progressive loss of memory, confusion, loss of ability to carry out everyday activities and change in personality. Many people experience occasional problems with memory which is normal. More significant memory loss includes forgetting simple words and using inappropriate words, putting things in inappropriate places, becoming lost in their own street, cooking a meal and then forgetting to serve it.

Many conditions have symptoms similar to dementia and can be treated. Consult your GP if you have any doubt, seeking help early may help prevent or slow any deterioration of memory. See the Alzheimers Australia website for more information.