DEPRESSION AND

CHRONIC KIDNEY
DISEASE
Page1/2

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Everyonefeelssad,grumpyorflatfromtimetotime.However,somepeopleexperience
thesefeelingsintensely,forlongperiodsoftime(weeks,monthsorevenyears)and
sometimeswithoutanyapparentreason.Depressionismorethanjustfeelingsadit's
aseriousillness.

Apersonwithdepressionmayhaveunhelpfulnegativethoughts,suchas:
Imafailure
Nothinggoodeverhappenstome
Imworthless
Lifesnotworthliving
Peoplewouldbebetteroffwithoutme

Apersonwithdepressionmay:
havestoppedgoingout
bewithdrawingfromclosefamilyandfriends
berelyingonalcoholand/orsedatives
nolongerbeabletoenjoypreviouslypleasurableactivities
beunabletomakedecisionsorbecomeindecisive
havedifficultysleeping

DEPRESSION AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD)

Researchhasshownthat1in5peoplewithCKDhasdepression,withthefigurebeingeven
higherforpeopleondialysis.TherearemanyreasonswhypeoplewithCKDaremorelikelyto
sufferfromdepression.Depressioncanbeareactiontoyourdiagnosis,thelosses(suchas
time,travel,jobsorphysicalstrength)causedbyCKDorthelimitationsthatCKDmayplaceon
yourdaytodayactivities.Newresearchhasshownthatsomeofthechangesthathappenin
yourbodywithkidneydiseasemayalsomakeyoumorepronetosufferfromdepression.
TreatingdepressioninCKDisimportantasweknowthatCKDpatientswithdepressionhavea
poorerqualityoflife,morefrequenthospitaladmissionsandpoorerhealthoutcomes.

COULD I HAVE DEPRESSION?

Ifyouareconcernedthatyouhavedepressionaskyourself:
DoIstruggletogetoutofbedanddodailyactivitiesregularly?
DoIfeelasifIamsurroundedbyablackcloud?
DoIcryregularly?
DoIgetangryeasilyfornoreason?
DoIfeelthereisnohopeforthefuture?
HaveIlostinterestorpleasureindoingthings?
DoIconsiderharmingmyself?

Ifyouansweredyestooneormoreofthesequestionsseeyourgeneralpractitionerorhealth
professionaltodiscussifthismaybedepressionandwhattreatmentoptionsareavailable.
Depressionandchronickidneydisease Page2/2

IS DEPRESSION TREATABLE?
DepressioncanbeeffectivelytreatedinpatientswithCKD.Antidepressantmedications,
psychotherapiesoracombinationofbothhaveshowntobehelpfulinreducingdepression
amongpatientswithchronicmedicalconditions.Psychologicaltreatmentshelppeoplewith
depressiontomanagetheirmood,changenegativepatternsofthinking,andimprovetheir
copingskills.AntidepressantmedicationcanbeusedsafelyinCKD.Yourhealthcareteamwill
workwithyoutofindthetreatmentthatworksbestforyou.

WHERE CAN I GET HELP?

Yourgeneralpractitioneristhebeststartingpointtoseekprofessionalhelpfordepression.
Ageneralpractitionercan:
makeadiagnosis
checkforanyphysicalhealthproblemormedicationthatmaybecontributingto
yoursymptoms
discussavailabletreatments
providebriefcounselling
prescribemedication
referyoutoamentalhealthspecialist,suchasaclinicalpsychologistorpsychiatrist.

WHERE TO GO FOR IMMEDIATE HELP

Forimmediatehelp,calltheBeyondBluesupportlineon1300224636,24hoursaday,7days
aweek.Youcanalsovisitwww.beyondblue.org.autofindinformation,chatonlinewithatrained
healthprofessionaloremailyourquestions.Forcrisissupport,callLifelineon131114.Thisis
atelephonecrisissupportserviceavailable24hoursaday,7daysaweek.

MORE INFORMATION
KidneyHealthAustraliahascollaboratedwithSANEAustraliatoproduce
TheSANEGuidetoGoodMentalHealthforPeopleAffectedbyKidney
Disease.Thisbookletlooksatassociatedmentalhealthproblems,treatment
optionsandincludescasestudiesofpeoplewhohaveexperiencedCKDfirst
handanditsimpactontheirlives.Copiesareavailabletopurchasefrom
KidneyHealthAustralia.

FormoreinformationaboutKidneyorUrinaryhealth,pleasecontactourfreecallKidneyHealth
InformationService(KHIS)on1800454363.Alternatively,youmaywishtoemailKHIS@kidney.org.au
orvisitourwebsitewww.kidney.org.autoaccessfreehealthliterature.

Thisisintendedasageneralintroductiontothistopicandisnotmeanttosubstituteforyourdoctor'sorHealth
Professional'sadvice.Allcareistakentoensurethattheinformationisrelevanttothereaderandapplicableto
eachstateinAustralia.ItshouldbenotedthatKidneyHealthAustraliarecognizesthateachperson'sexperienceis
individualandthatvariationsdooccurintreatmentandmanagementduetopersonalcircumstances,thehealth
professionalandthestateonelivesin.Shouldyourequirefurtherinformationalwaysconsultyourdoctoror
healthprofessional.

KidneyHealthAustraliagratefullyacknowledgesthevaluablecontributionofDrSamuelHarveyandDrAlison
Bautovich(BlackDogInstitute,UniversityofNewSouthWales),andDrRamonyChan(ConsultationLiaison
Psychiatry,UniversityofNewSouthWales)inthedevelopmentofthisfactsheet.
RevisedNovember2015

Ifyouhaveahearingorspeechimpairment,contacttheNationalRelayServiceon1800555677or
www.relayservice.com.au.Foralltypesofservicesaskfor1800454363.