DepNet is a meeting place on the Internet where people affected by depression seek help and support via the debate, chat and expert panel. DepNet further provides a wide range of information about depression such as facts, articles, news, My Story, Q&A's and a self-test.
The purpose of DepNet is to help improve the daily lives of people affected by depression.
Addressing the needs of depressed people
Thousands of people suffer from depression without knowing that the disease can, in fact, be treated. Depression communities such as DepNet increase awareness about the condition and work to reduce the stigma that, unfortunately, still surrounds depression. By encouraging people to seek treatment earlier, it is possible to make management of depression better.
An online depression community is a venue on the Internet that serves as a forum for patients and relatives, where they may read in detail about this widespread disease and gain information and guidance from independent experts.
It can be especially difficult for people with a depression to communicate face-to-face, while it is much easier to talk about your problems on the Web. Quite simply, it is possible to meet others in the same situation in the member-based communities.
Doctors can't deliver healthcare in eight minutes
“You can't deliver healthcare in eight minutes, the eight minutes a GP typically has in today's healthcare system to see his or her patient”. This statement comes from a woman that suffers from depression and is a user of the Internet for patient support. Perhaps that is one of the most compelling reasons why e-health portals and disease sites have become so popular.
What does depression mean?
Depression is a word we all know and use in many different situations:
- A good friend says: "Everything was fine last week, but today I feel totally depressed."
- Another says: "After she lost her husband, she has seemed sad and depressed."
- A third says: "I have felt tired and depressed the entire winter."
- Your doctor says: "You have a depression. Well begin treatment and you'll feel better within a few weeks."
Depression has several meanings. Depression can mean that you are:
- Sorry about something
- Carrying a deep sorrow
- Feeling sad
- Coming to a standstill
- Sick
If your doctor diagnoses you as “depressive”, it is important that you differentiate between:
- Feeling sorry about something
- Worrying
- Having a depressive illness
- Feeling sad and depressed
Everyone has felt sorry about something at one time or another. Life at the time seems sad and insurmountable, and the future looks hopeless. It is natural to feel sad and melancholy when you experience disappointment or loss such as:
- Love troubles
- Unemployment
- A death
When you are naturally sad, though, your life doesn't come to a complete standstill. You can participate in activities even though "your heart is not in the right place." When something good happens, you can still feel joy.
Sadness eventually passes
Low spirits eventually pass. A deep sadness will affect you less with time, though it may never disappear completely. You can help yourself, and additional loving care from family and friends will also help you. You have a need for:
- Being together with others
- Talking with others
- Solving your problems
But natural sadness doesn't mean you are sick. Perhaps you are thinking:
"If depression is the same as being in low spirits or worrying about something, why does one treat depressions with psychotherapy and medication?"
"Why are people with depression admitted to psychiatric departments?"
Find answers to many of these questions on DepNet.
Currently DepNet is only available in few languages but more will be added in the coming years.
