Patricia Farrell, PhD
Biography

	How can stress affect health in the long run? How can caregivers reduce their stress? How can a new mother know if she has postpartum depression? How can we get 'back on track' after losing a loved one? Is it possible to turn stress into success?

Significant stress or changes in your life can also trigger depression. Social stressors (such as the death of a loved one) and chronic stressors (such as poverty, family difficulties, or long-term illnesses) can significantly contribute to depression. We chatted about the mental health concerns that can result from stress with our course instructor, Patricia Farrell, PhD, on Oct. 4, 2005.

If you have questions about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.

This WebMD University course is brought to you by Medical Mutual.

MODERATOR:
Welcome to WebMD University: "Letting Go: A 4-Week Course to Help You Manage and Banish Stress in Your Body and Life." Our instructor is Pat Farrell, PhD.

People often say "I'm depressed" when they really mean "I'm sad." What is the difference between situational sadness and clinical depression?

FARRELL:
Situational sadness is normal; differences or changes in mood are normal. If you didn't have changes in mood, we'd begin to wonder whether you had a psychiatric problem.

Clinical depression is an abnormal mood situation with generally several outstanding features.

First, it goes on for a period of time, let's say more than a month. During that time you'll experience extreme changes in such things as:

• Eating
• Sleep
• Interest in anything that may have interested you before
• Crying easily
• Increased irritability
• A feeling of hopelessness
• Helplessness
• Worthlessness
• Negative feelings about yourself and your future
• Inability to concentrate
• You may have what we call vegetative symptoms where you have absolutely no energy, and perhaps, all you want to do is stay in bed all day.

The overall picture is one of someone who is dysfunctional in their everyday life. So it is an extreme change in mood; it lasts for a long time, and it affects your ability to go about your everyday life. People use to call major depression a nervous breakdown. And in some cases, it can require hospitalization.

"Needing help does not indicate you are a weak or mentally ill person."

FARRELL:
Stress has a negative effect on health over the long haul because what it does, in effect, is put your body into a state of alarm readiness. In other words, it's like having a fire alarm constantly ringing. You are constantly waiting for something to happen.

And that heightened vigilance affects all aspects of your body and your mind. One of the major things that it affects is your immune system, and, therefore, your body's ability to ward off illness.

MODERATOR:
What are some signs that a stressful situation is affecting mental health?

FARRELL:
Some of the typical signs would be:

• Increased irritability
• Feelings of depression
• Chronic fatigue
• Perhaps overreacting to any small situation
• Impulsivity
• Withdrawing from social interactions
• Perhaps using alcohol or any drugs excessively
• Constant sense of worry

There are also physical symptoms. Many times you will see people who have chronic headache, chronic fatigue, sweaty palms, rapid or skipped pulse beats, which is rather interesting.

Daily stress is a normal part of life. It's when daily stress becomes so severe for a prolonged time that it can affect you as a chronic stress problem.

For instance, if you are in a job situation requiring longer hours than normal for a long period, you are asked to do the work of three people instead of your own, you are not giving yourself vacations or time off to relax -- this is when you need to do a life check, which is really as good as an annual physical in terms of assessing your proneness to a stress-related disorder.

And needing help does not indicate you are a weak or mentally ill person. I also say, the most important step you will ever make in terms of your mental health is the realization that you need help, and that it's OK to seek it.

The opinions expressed herein are the guests' alone and have not been reviewed by a WebMD physician.