Depression

Unlike the occasional bout of feeling sad, depression affects your daily life, making it hard for you to find enjoyment in day-to-day activities. Some days you may find it impossible to get out of bed, while other days you may feel more able to go about your normal daily tasks. 

Living with depression can be incredibly difficult, for both those suffering and those around them. Due to the nature of the condition, however, seeking help can often be delayed. For some, an obstacle to them seeking help is understanding whether or not they actually have depression.

If you have depression you may feel:

• like life isn’t worth living
• constant anxiety and worry
• a lack of concentration
• indecisive
• intolerant of others
• sleeping patterns have altered - broken nights or oversleeping
• eating patterns have changed - loss of appetite or overeating
• tired and a lack of energy
• you have persistent headaches and/or stomach upsets
• your speaking pattern is slower than usual
• you've neglected hobbies and interests
• you're isolating yourself from friends and family
• like taking part in fewer social activities
• that you've noticed your productivity falling at work

If you experience depression symptoms for most of the day, every day or for several weeks, it is likely that you need help. If your feelings start affecting many parts of your life, this is a sign that you may need professional support. Depression is a treatable condition, even in its most severe of form.

A number of treatment options are available. The two most common forms offered are counselling for depression and medication. These are often used in combination - particularly in more severe cases.