Depression

Alright, let's look explore the very common mental health issue, depression. First we're going to give you the facts, then we'll talk about what that feels like in real life.  Once you've had a read, move on to our 'Create my Toolbox' page. 

The facts.....

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 3.8% of the population experience depression, this equals approximately 280 million people in the world. It is also about 50% more common among women than men. Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity which affects a persons thoughts, behaviour, feelings and sense of well-being.  There are various forms, each with unique symptoms and causes. Here are some of the most common types:

  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – Also known as clinical depression, MDD involves persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, and difficulty functioning in daily life.

  • Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) – A chronic form of depression lasting for at least two years, with symptoms that may be less severe but still interfere with daily activities.

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Depression that occurs during specific seasons, often in winter, due to reduced sunlight exposure.

  • Atypical Depression – A subtype of depression where individuals experience mood improvements in response to positive events but still struggle with symptoms like fatigue and overeating.

  • Situational Depression – Also known as reactive depression, this occurs in response to stressful life events, such as loss, trauma, or major changes.

  • Psychotic Depression – A severe form of depression that includes symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations or delusions.

  • Postnatal Depression – A type of depression that affects new parents, typically after childbirth, due to hormonal changes and emotional stress.

There are also various levels of severity within depression:

Mild Depression

  • Symptoms are present but don't completely disrupt daily functioning.

  • Individuals may feel persistent sadness, fatigue, or loss of interest in activities.

  • They can still manage responsibilities but may struggle with motivation or enjoyment.

  • Lifestyle changes, therapy, and social support can often help manage symptoms

Moderate Depression

  • Symptoms are more intense and begin to interfere with work, relationships, and daily activities.

  • Individuals may experience difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite or sleep, and feelings of worthlessness.

  • Emotional distress is more noticeable, and professional treatment (therapy, medication) is often recommended

Severe Depression

  • Symptoms are overwhelming and significantly impair daily life.

  • Individuals may struggle with basic self-care, experience suicidal thoughts, or feel completely disconnected from the world.

  • Severe depression often requires immediate medical intervention, including therapy, medication, and sometimes hospitalization

So who is more likely to get depressed?  Well, the truth is, anyone can given the right set of circumstances as several factors can play a role in depression:

  • Biochemical: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain (such as the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine) may contribute to symptoms of depression.
  • Genetic: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
  • Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic may be more likely to experience depression.
  • Environmental: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty can also pose risks for developing depression.

Fortunately, depression is one of the more treatable conditions and your GP or mental health professional can be useful here to help formulate a treatment plan to help you manage and hopefully improve over time.  This will vary from person to person depending on the severity and circumstances.  Medication, talk therapy, self help, physical activity, healthy diet and good sleep can all be useful in reducing the symptoms of depression and increase your overall wellbeing.  

The feels.....

Most of us have felt abit down now and again but is this depression?? We hear many people say, 'I'm depressed', but are they?? Depression is not just sadness, its a pervasive feeling that seeps into all aspects of life, meeting friends can seem overwhelming, fun days out are not fun, and that thing you loved to do?  There's no love.    It tends to affect women more than men but saying that it can happen to anyone at any time of life, this is because we experience so much change in any one life time, illness, traumatic events, childbirth, relationship breakdowns, and death, are just part of  any persons journey through life.  Coupled with this are our changing life stages, changing beliefs about the world, environmental changes and changes in the people around us.  It's alot to cope with.  

Depression can feel like a fog, a weight or an emotional numbness which on a bad day can make it hard to get up and going because of course, you're just not in the mood, and why would you be when you think you're not going to get any enjoyment from something or if the very idea makes you feel exhausted. If this sounds like you, try to be kind to yourself, beating yourself up for not being on top of the world all the time makes things even harder.  In fact, the more you do this, the more you can spiral downwards, we begin to feel we have no worth or value, which means we are less likely to want to do things which leads to feeling even more hopeless and so on.  Interrupting that spiral is vital as it generally only goes one way.  The sooner you can interrupt that spiral the better.  So, if you're struggling,  encourage yourself to seek help or make changes with kind words, just like you would with a friend.  This can be easier if you are in the mild to moderate bracket as described in the first section and we have some useful tools to help in the  Create My Toolbox section.  However, the more severe forms may need professional help and we would encourage you, or if you think someone else is struggling, to seek that help as soon as possible.