Depression – It’s More Than “Feeling Down”…
Depression is not just feeling down. It is a serious illness that can affect up to 1 in 4 females and 1 in 6 males in their lifetime. It has both psychological and physical symptoms and can be quite debilitating for a large number of people.
For some people, depression is a lifelong battle. For others, it can be a response to a significant life event (such as divorce, separation, death of someone close, loss of work or major illness).
Considering how a person has felt over the course of two weeks, the major symptoms that are used to diagnose depression are as follows:
- Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.
- Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
- Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
- A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
- Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
- Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
What is likely to put you at risk?
There are a variety of reasons why a person may be of risk of depression. These can include the following:
- Medical causes – such as low thyroid function, anaemia, chronic pain, some cancers, some medical treatments, brain injuries and infectious diseases
- Recent stressful events
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- High levels of anxiety
- Personality factors
- Bad past experiences
How can you deal with Depression?
There are many different ways to deal with depression.
Seeking Psychological Counselling is an effective start in helping you identify how your thoughts impact the way you feel.
At think.act.feel, we use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help you identify what thoughts are having a negative impact and work on ways to think more constructively.
We will also help you put a plan in place to reduce the chances of having a relapse.
There are also many other things you can do personally. These include the following:
- Working on ways to reduce your stress and anxiety
- Moderate exercise (regular aerobic and strength training exercise can result in as much as a 50% reduction of depression symptoms)
- Keep interacting with friends and participating in your normal activities
- Learn effective breathing and relaxation techniques
- Plan pleasurable activities into your day or tasks which give you a sense of achievement
- Get out of bed
- Reduce your drug and alcohol intake
- Pat your pet
- Talk to someone you trust
Our Psychologists are committed to assisting people with Depression and will encourage you to “get back into life”.