Newsletter: Emotional Health Before Your Transplant

The following is from The Transplant Experience, an educational division of Astellas Pharmaceuticals. These free newsletters are aimed at pre and post-transplant patients, and are full of valuable information. You can join for free at www.transplant experience.com.

"Emotional Health Before Your Transplant"

 

Despite the hope one feels prior to a transplant and the gratitude one feels afterward, many individuals battle depression throughout their transplant journey. It is important to know that you can turn to your transplant team for help, no matter what you're feeling. In observance of Seasonal Depression Awareness Month this December, take a moment to recognize and understand the challenges of depression—and discover ways to help yourself and others.

What is depression?

Depression is more than a lingering sadness, but an outlook that can affect your emotional and physical well-being. Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a subset of depression that typically arises during the dark winter months.¹ Symptoms of depression can include any of the following²:

• Feelings of restlessness, worthlessness, or guilt
• Fluctuations in weight or sleep
• Trouble concentrating
• Reduced energy throughout the day
• Lack of pleasure in activities you once enjoyed

While these are the most common symptoms, everybody experiences depression a little differently—in ways that are difficult to measure and caused by reasons even more difficult to categorize.3 Adding to this complexity are assumptions made by many that aim to simplify depression: Misconception #1: Depression is just a matter of perception. Depression can affect how you feel emotionally, but may be grounded in real, chemical imbalances in the brain. Depression has been found to affect the body as well as emotions, influencing physical recovery and rehabilitation from surgeries, such as a transplant procedure. For these reasons, depression may sometimes require you to seek professional help and take medication, as any health condition would. Misconception #2: Depression affects weak individuals. Depression can affect anyone overwhelmed by stressful changes in one's life. Your transplant journey, especially, is full of these stressful, if not life-altering, changes. Anticipating a new organ, adjusting one's life around transplantation, learning to become more dependent on others—all can understandably lead to depression. Misconception #3: Depression can be cured with positive events in one's life.    Depression, like any chronic condition, takes time to heal; no amount of good news can just “switch” off what you're feeling. In addition, it's possible that even a positive event—like a life-saving transplant procedure, despite all the inspiration and hope it may bring—requires that you adjust to yet another significant change in your life, in turn stirring up a whole new set of emotions. Understanding these complexities may help you accept depression for what it is: an attempt to make sense of significant changes in one's life.

Managing depression Outside of medication and therapy, there are a number of things you can do to manage your depression: 1. Talk to others. Whether it's your transplant team, a member of the transplant community, or friends and family—a little social support can go a long way.2,3 Join a support group in your area. The Support group locator tool on www.TransplantExperience.com.

2. Exercise. Physical activity promotes mental health by releasing natural mood boosters in the brain. For tips on exercising responsibly after transplantation, visit the Exercise page under the Living Healthy section of www.TransplantExperience.com. 3. Eat well. Fruits, vegetables, and other wholesome foods can boost energy levels and help your body feel healthy and vibrant. Visit the Recipes for Success page under the Living Healthy section of www.TransplantExperience.com. 4. Create a brighter environment for yourself. A little sunshine can go a long way. Spend some time outside each day, or at least make it a point to let some natural light indoors.1 5. Do things in stages. Breaking up one large task into smaller ones can make your time more manageable and your goals more attainable.3 6. Find a creative outlet. Even thinking about all the changes in your life can be overwhelming. You might consider taking up activities like painting, knitting, or writing to give your mind a much-deserved break. In fact, some experts say creative expression can be a form of therapy.2

Hear from people at different stages in the transplant journey. Watch the “Voices of Experience” video, located under the Support section of www.TransplantExperience.com!

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