DEPRESSION

In everyday life we all go through periods when we feel sad, dejected, frustrated or put upon. These feelings are quite normal and ordinarily pass quickly. Sometimes though, these negative feelings can persist and deepen and come to overwhelm us so much that life becomes far more difficult and even can become unbearable. This is depression. In severe cases of depression people may find life so unbearable that they do not wish to live any more and tragically each year in the UK several thousand people take their own lives.

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Many people do not understand depression and wrongly think it is a trivial condition which can easily be overcome. They are wrong. They may say things like "Pull yourself together" or "Snap out of it". This is because they are confusing depression with ordinary sadness. Again, because of their misunderstanding of depression, they often regard it as a sign of weakness. Again, they are completely wrong. Depression is absolutely not a sign of weakness. It is a real and serious illness with real and serious - and potentially deadly - symptoms.

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Anyone - male or female - can be affected by depression at any time of their lives and it is a disease which does not discriminate, affecting people no matter what their job is or how much money they have or how successful they are. I see clients for depression from all walks of life, ranging from unemployed people to successful entrepreneurs. 

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Common psychological symptoms of depression include feeling permanently sad, feeling hopeless, having low self-esteem, feeling tearful, feeling guilt, feeling isolated, losing interest in all activities and pastimes, feeling indecisive, feeling anxious, not enjoying anything in life, feeling like harming yourself, and feeling like ending your life.

 

Common physical symptoms of depression include changes in appetite, changes in weight, lack of energy, increased tiredness, difficulty falling asleep at night, waking during the night, waking up very early in the morning, and a general decrease in physical health. 

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Social symptoms of depression include withdrawing from social activities, avoiding friends and family, relationship breakdown, neglecting hobbies and interests, and having problems at work.

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Many people wait a long time before seeking help for their depression. This is a really bad idea and it very important for your sake to seek help as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can begin the process of recovering from depression and avoid the potentially very severe consequence of the illness. There is no shame in asking for help.

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Whatever has happened to you to make you depressed and however long you have suffered, there is a way to become free from depression and I will support you on that journey.