Everyone feels low sometimes. Depression is a common mental health problem where we can have low mood for weeks or months at a time. When untreated depression symptoms can affect us for years. Depression can cause us to lose interest in things and enjoyment of things we once enjoyed and make life more difficult. Anyone can become depressed, so it is important to know that it is normal and not a sign of weakness. Also, it is important to know that we are not alone and there are many remedies for depression.
Symptoms – Depression can affect our mood, behavior, and our bodies. Depression can cause us to feel angry, irritable, lose interest in things we once enjoyed, or feeling tired and have less energy. Depression can also decrease our appetite, make us lose motivation, and lower our self-confidence. We can also feel:
- Down, upset or tearful
- Frustrated over minor things
- Gain a sense of unreality, derealization
- Guilty or worthless
- Hollow and numb
- Hopeless and bleak
- Low in self-esteem
- Restless, agitated or irritable
- Unable to relate to others
Depression can make us feel isolated and want to hide away from people. We can also:
- Aches and pains, with no obvious cause
- Have difficulty, thinking clearly, concentrating, or making decisions or speaking
- Have sleep issues
- Lose interest in intercourse
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated
- Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
It is also common for depression to have symptoms of anxiety too. Depression can also cause self-harm or suicidal feelings. Though self-harm may feel like it helps people to feel better in the short term, but it isn’t a long-term solution and it can be very dangerous. When we are feeling low and hopeless this can cause suicidal thoughts. This may be the idea of suicide or even making a plan. Thoughts like these can be scary and feel difficult to control.
If you feel you cannot keep yourself safe, then you are having a mental health emergency. So, you will need to call 999 or go straight to A&E. If you can’t go alone, you’ll need to ask someone to help you. If you are unsure who to call, you can call 111 for advice (England and Wales). You can also contact your G.P., the Single Point of Access Team (SPA) on 0800 183 1485, or The Samaritans on 116 123 for support. Or, you can find your local NHS Crisis Management Team through this link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline
Causes – There is no single cause of depression. Each person is unique so may become depressed for a different reason. For some people it’s a mixture of multiple things. On the other hand, some people can become depressed without a clear picture of why. Here are a few of the reasons someone may become depressed:
- A big change or life event, like losing a baby, being bullied, bereavement, divorce, or losing a job
- A lack of sunlight in the winter
- Childhood experiences, like abuse (emotional, physical or sexual), the passing of someone close, neglect, traumatic events or an unresolved family situation.
- Coping with other mental health problems, e.g. anxiety, eating problems or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Depression can be caused by many medications as side effects (you can check your patient information leaflet in the medication packet or ask your doctor or pharmacist if this is possible and if you can take an alternative).
- Family history – genes or environment (both or either)
- Irregular or unhealthy diet, exercise, or sleep
- Physical health problems, if they are hard to manage, can affect mood e.g. ongoing pain and discomfort, hormone problems, sleep problems, life-threatening illnesses, chronic health problems
- Recreational drug use or alcohol
- Styles of thinking e.g. self-blame for negative events or continuous ruminating past negative events.
How can Counselling and Psychotherapy help? – Counsellors and psychotherapists will listen to us in a safe and confidential space without judgment. So, we can feel free to explore our thoughts and feelings, so that we can acknowledge them and accept them. Counsellors and psychotherapists who use Person-Centred and Psychodynamic techniques may also help us to find a root cause of our depression and explore this. Counsellors and Psychotherapists will also help to find ways to use different strategies and self-care methods that work best for each person since person’s depression may have different causes.
Immediate help – If you find yourself in crisis and need immediate support, please contact the appropriate emergency services (111 for urgent support, 999 for risk-to-life situations), your G.P., the Single Point of Access Team (SPA) on 0800 183 1485. For support you can also contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org, or you can find your local NHS Crisis Management Team through this link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline
If you have any further questions or want to know more about counselling and psychotherapy for depression, please feel free to get in touch.
