Depression

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While everyone can experience periods of sadness, depression refers to when people feel sad or low most of the time over an extended period of time. Clinical Depression can influence a person cognitively, emotionally and physically. This can impact greatly on a person’s day-to-day life, their ability to engage in simple activities, and how they interact in relationships. Most treatments for Depression involve psychological therapy, medication or a combination of these two approaches. Medication is particularly indicated if a chemical imbalance is causative. Psychological therapy for depression involves developing an understanding of the factors contributing to and maintaining a person’s depressed state. This may involve talking through any events that have triggered the depression. Therapy will also involve looking at patterns of thinking that may be maintaining depressed moods, setting goals to increase meaningful activities, and possibly learning new skills (e.g. decision making, problem solving, assertive communication).

Depression

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What to look for

Symptoms of Depression:

Whilst depression is experienced differently between people, the main symptoms of depression include:

Low or flat mood
Loss of interest in activities
Reduced motivation
Reduced energy levels
Lethargy
Irritability and mood swings
A sense of hopelessness and/or helplessness
Poor concentration and short-term memory
Sleep difficulties
Reduced or elevated appetite
Loss of libido
Excessive worrying and negative thinking patterns

What Causes Depression?

Depression can be caused by one or a combination of the following factors:

A genetic predisposition to developing depression.
Situational factors or events.
A chemical imbalance.
Certain personality factors may lead a person to be more prone to depression.

How Can Depression be Treated?

Most treatments for Depression involve psychological therapy, medication or a combination of these two approaches. Medication is particularly indicated if a chemical imbalance is causative.

Psychological therapy for depression involves developing an understanding of the factors contributing to and maintaining a person’s depressed state. This may involve talking through any events that have triggered the depression. Therapy will also involve looking at patterns of thinking that may be maintaining depressed moods, setting goals to increase meaningful activities, and possibly learning new skills (e.g. decision making, problem solving, assertive communication).

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