Depression

 

Sometimes we can feel a little overwhelmed by what is happening around us and often this may cause us to feel a little down. It’s normal to go through these low periods however when these periods seem to arise more intensely and frequently, this may be described as feeling depressed. There is a difference between sadness and feeling depressed

 

Symptoms that can be experienced during a significant low depressed period are:

• Feelings of guilt and a loss of self worth

• Feeling overwhelmed and sad for no particular reason

• Feeling tired and more lethargic than usual

• Feeling restless and/or agitated for no specific reason

• A change in your normal sleep patterns: difficulty falling asleep or over sleeping

• A change in your normal eating habits, either increased or decreased appetite

• A lack of concentration

• A decline in motivation levels

• A growing level of indecisiveness

• Wanting to isolate yourself and withdraw from social activities

• A loss of interest and pleasure in many of your normal activities

• Thoughts of self harm or suicide

There are many different ways in which someone can feel depressed ranging from an intense period of feeling low and heavy to a general feeling of unhappiness or lack of enthusiasm for anything. The speed at which someone begins to feel down differs significantly from person to person, sometimes gradually arising over many months and at other times suddenly appearing overnight or in response to a difficult event.  It is important to note that at times shifts between feeling depressed and feeling happy can also occur.  These occurrences can happen in the course of a few hours of even minutes, however such an experience does not necessarily signify bipolar disorder.

In Australia, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men, will experience significantly low feelings throughout their lifetime. If you are feeling depressed and have so for some time, there is help, it’s just an email/phone call away to your psychologist or a simple visit to your GP.