Depression is a serious and debilitating experience that significantly affects people’s quality of life. Depression can vary from mild cases to the more severe. If you are suffering from depression, you may relate to the idea of feeling stuck in your sadness; a sense that you cannot imagine being happy again. Psychologists often describe the symptoms of depression as living with a future which seem hopeless and a sense of being helpless to do anything about it. Some people begin to lose sleep while others may sleep all day, struggling to get out of bed in the morning.
You take little pleasure in your day, your appetite changes and in many cases, you begin to feel worthless and perhaps as if others might be better off without you. In extreme cases, you may be unable to get to work, your relationships suffer and you isolate from others. Some people find it hard to get the motivation to get dressed in the morning, or to wash and feed themselves. Is this you or someone close to you?
For too many people, depression is their everyday state of mind. So it can be surprisingly hard to recognise in others. Moreover, as people with depression often feel unattractive or worthless, they tend to keep their problems to themselves, preferring not to ‘burden’ others with their problems. People with depression often suffer in silence, unaware that help is available which is very sad because we should see this as something that can happen to any one of us and is very common in today’s busy society.
Many models of counselling therapy provided by psychologists are clinically proven treatments for depression. If you are depressed, you do not need to suffer, and you do not need to suffer alone. We urge you to speak up and get help and give yourself the chance you deserve for a more fulfilling and rewarding future.
Major Depressive Disorder
A major depressive episode includes the following symptoms:
• depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, whether noticed by yourself or someone else who knows your normal mood
• significant decrease in interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities, most of the day, nearly every day
• significant changes in your weight (be it weight loss or weight gain), or a series of daily change in your eating patterns and appetite.
• Consistent trouble sleeping or feeling more sleepy than usual (insomnia and hypersomnia)
• Feeling ‘charged’ or fidgety (psychomotor agitation) or listless (retardation) nearly every day
• Feeling fatigued or experiencing a loss of energy nearly every day
• feelings worthless or inappropriately guilty nearly every day
• finding it harder to think or concentrate, or make decisions, nearly every day
• having repeated thoughts of death, considering or thinking about suicidal themes (be it with or without a specific plan to suicide).
As you can see from the above list, a person with Major Depressive Disorder will experience these symptoms during an episode almost every day, and most of the time during that day.
Please note that making a diagnosis of symptoms is a complex undertaking. Moreover, it does not take into account the cause of the condition and it does not in itself indicate a particular type of treatment.
You should see a Mental Health Professional if you are experiencing symptoms of depression
Please note that if you feel the urge to harm yourself you should call lifeline 131114 or ring 000 We do not provide an emergency crisis counselling service.
Make an appointment with your Reflections Psychology Therapist to assist you in your recovery journey