How Blue is Too Blue?: Recognizing Depression in Divorce By Dr. Tonita Wroolie

Even under the best of circumstances divorce can be quite stressful. Often women are faced with practical concerns such as selling a house, moving, re-entry into the work force, finding an attorney, and financial problems. Even more difficult are issues concerning children, legal proceedings, betrayal, and the loss of what you perceived as your future. Although in general women who are divorced fare better than men in terms of depression, the divorce process can leave even the most resilient of women vulnerable to depressive symptoms or even a clinically significant depressive episode.

It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and by all means seek help if needed. Psychotherapy alone may suffice with milder depressive symptoms. However, when symptoms are moderate to severe, antidepressants are often warranted. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that most people with depression do best with a combination of antidepressants and psychotherapy.

Below are the symptoms of a Major Depressive Episode taken from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders-4th Edition (DSM-IV TR) *. If you or your children experience five or more of the following symptoms for at least 2 consecutive weeks nearly every day and they are causing significant distress and impairment in functioning consider contacting a professional:

1. Depressed mood (e.g., feels sad or empty) most of the day. In children and adolescents, the mood may be irritable rather than sad.
2. Loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities.
3. Decrease or increase in appetite with a significant weight loss or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month). In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.
4. Problems falling or staying asleep or sleeping more than usual.
5. Other people noticing that your movements and thoughts are agitated or slowed.
6. Feeling fatigued or experiencing a loss of energy.
7. Feeling worthless or excessively and/or inappropriately guilty.
8. Difficulties with thinking, concentration, or making decisions.
9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent thoughts of suicide (with or without a specific plan), or a suicide attempt.

To learn more about depression and its treatment visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

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Dr. Tonita Wroolie is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the assessment and treatment of adults with cognitive impairment. She works in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Stanford School of Medicine where she conducts research on women and aging. In addition, she has recently opened a private practice in Palo Alto, California. Dr. Wroolie may be contacted via email.

*American Psychiatric Association 2000. (DSM-IV-TR) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc.

This article is not legal or medical advice. You should consult an attorney if you have legal questions that relate to your specific divorce or consult a doctor if you have medical questions about your health.

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