How Depression Works

• According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, people who are paralyzed are twice or thrice as likely to suffer from depression than someone who is not disabled. Depression creates an adverse effect on an individual's well-being. It can affect his mood, performance and energy level, sleep pattern, appetite, ambition, problem solving skills and his general outlook on life and himself. Individuals afflicted with depression often neglect their hygiene and nutrition; they may not care about their diet or may neglect their skin. They are also prone to shutting out family and friends. They find no pleasure or meaning in anything and often turn to drugs to ease their emotional distress.
  
  

Contributing Factors

• Individuals undergoing traumatic life events, such as divorce, loss of a loved one or a job, or financial issues, are at risk of descending into depression. For someone who is paralyzed, the emotional pain and fatigue associated with the disability can be a contributing factor of depression. The physical change in how the body looks and the loss of independence often cause psychological issues.
  
  

Paralysis Stress Treatment

• The stress associated with paralysis is tremendous, and the individual needs help in coping with his situation. With the help of behavioral practices, such as psychotherapy, and with the assistance of medications, depression is treatable. Extra precaution must be exercised when prescribing medication to individuals with spinal cord injuries. When an individual is confined to a wheelchair or suffers from a pressure sore (skin ulcer), he may experience weight loss or weight gain. Antidepressants operate by rebalancing the brain's chemicals. Tricyclic drugs, such as Elavil and Tofranil can be an effective treatment for depression but may also have serious side effects. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Prozac come with fewer side effects and are generally effective in treatment depression. A more novel antidepressant, venlafaxine (Effexor), is chemically structured like tricyclics, but has lesser side effects. Depression is often caused by pain inflicted on the nervous system, which venlafaxine is said to be effective in easing.
  
  

Suicide Prevention

• For the first five years after injury, individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries face the highest risk of major depression. Individuals suffering from major depression are often at risk for suicide. Detecting the depression early and getting the appropriate treatment are the key to preventing suicide. A Colorado survey stated that 86 percent of individuals suffering from high-level paralysis reported that their quality of life was average or above average. Only 17 percent of their emergency room physicians, nurses and technicians predicted this quality of life for them.