Depression
Depression is often called the common cold of the psychiatric world, nevertheless it is a very frightening condition. There are many different strains and symptoms and they are not always easy to identify. It is a condition that will affect around one in 5 people at some point in their lives. Often it is the strong who suffer the most.
Depression is not ‘sadness’ or ‘unhappiness’ and those suffering from depression may experience a wide spectrum of symptoms, emotional and physical, which just won’t shift. The sufferers may isolate themselves, be detached or feeling ‘in a bubble’ and sense a blackness or heaviness of their mood. Often they have a deep sense of not feeling okay. The longer it goes on the deeper the spiral becomes. Many find it difficult to pinpoint a specific cause of their depression. However, this does not make their symptoms any less real.
Living with depression or living with a depressed person is very hard and at times this can make seeking help even harder. People can fear stigma or labelling will occur It is very important for people suffering with depression to believe there are many people who are willing to help. Although it feels awful, and the sufferer may feel frightened, with the right help symptoms will be greatly reduced and, in time, overcome.
Symptoms can or may include:
- Frightening thoughts
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
- Insomnia, or excessive sleeping
- Loss of interest in activities
- Overeating or appetite loss
- Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
Most of the above symptoms can be considered normal responses. However, if you experience some of these symptoms for extended periods of time please contact your GP and consider discussing your symptoms with a trained counsellor.
Counselling can help address feelings of depression, feeling sad, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), postnatal depression and suicidal thoughts. You can contact any of our counsellors, therapists, psychotherapists and psychologists directly, via The Practice phone number or online. Servicing Surrey from our sites in Weybridge and East Molesey and online. Please see our Children and Family Therapy page for a list of our therapists who treat depression and anxiety in children.
Useful Articles
Here's a list of articles on depression you might find helpful.
A Message to the Depressed
An extremely powerful and moving YouTube video on how it feels to have depression and what you, as a friend of someone who is depressed, can do to support your friend. Highly recommend watching.
Can positivity cure depression? - Laura Clark
One of the worst misconceptions about depression and anxiety is that the sufferer ‘brings it on themselves’ and should simply ‘snap out of it’. The theory that we can in fact talk ourselves out of our depression is a very tricky concept as we don’t want to feed the stigma that mental illness is somehow our fault. But my own recovery teaches me that thinking positivity and learning to drag ourselves out of our illness are in fact really powerful tools that shouldn’t be overlooked.
My depression is a gift - Carly Schwartz
I’ve heard the only true cure for depression is a deep and profound sense of self love. In order to achieve that, you must train yourself to love every part of yourself, darkness and all. But how can you love something you’re so desperate to change? How can you use that love as a weapon to extinguish the very thing you are training yourself to love?
6 little things you can do to help someone with depression
Suffering from depression can be lonely, scary and difficult to talk about. But, seeing someone you care about struggling is tough too. Often friends and family feel just as helpless, not knowing what to do or say.
Teenagers struck by depression epidemic
The number of middle-class teenage girls suffering from anxiety or depression has surged in the past decade with more than a third now experiencing symptoms of “psychological distress”.
Is your teen moody or depressed? 7 tips for parents
Your teen is being really irritable. Is it a random bad mood — or something more?
Recommended Books
Depressive Illness: The Curse of the Strong (3rd Edition): Volume 3 (Overcoming Common Problems)
This book has helped many thousands of those who have depression. This new edition, written by a leading consultant psychiatrist, explains that depression tests the strongest of us. Dr Cantopher guides the reader through the nature of depression, its history, symptoms, causes and treatments.
Philosophy for Life: And other dangerous situations
In his engaging book, Jules Evans explains how ancient philosophy saved his life, and how we can all use it to become happier, wiser and more resilient.
The Consolations of Philosophy
Alain de Botton, bestselling author of How Proust Can Change Your Life, has set six of the finest minds in the history of philosophy to work on the problems of everyday life.
Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure
Robert de Board's engaging account of Toad's experience of counselling will capture the imagination of the growing readership of people who are interested in counselling and the counselling process.
This poem has often been described as the "North Star" by which you should lead your life.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what pace there may be
in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull
and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself to others, you many become vain and bitter; for always
There will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own
career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But
let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for
in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take
kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress
yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the
universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And
whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever
your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all it’s sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Helpful articles often written by our fabulous practitioners.