Depression
So you’re not really sure why but you’re not feeling as though you are on top form?
You feel tired more often than not, you’re emotional when you never used to be and the things you used to love doing now no longer hold the same appeal.
Depression is quite a common mental disorder that causes people to feel a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in things they used to love, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. Depression is definitely NOT just feeling down or sad.
Why Me?
There’s not always a specific one-off reason for suffering with depression. There are usually a collection of things going on within your body that will affect your mood and how you feel. Stress, Health, and Hormones are big contenders in this. Stress, using alcohol or drugs, and hormone changes affect the brain’s delicate chemistry and mood balance. Of course there are also some health conditions that may cause depression-like symptoms. For example, hypothyroidism is known to cause a depressed mood in some people. You must always see your GP and not self-diagnose when it comes to your health.
On average, a person can suffer from a major depression with symptoms for at least four to eight months. Treatment might lessen this time frame of course. There is also a chance that depression may also recur, and 40% of those who have suffered a severe depressive episode will relapse within a year.
What Is ‘Major Depressive Disorder’?
Major depressive disorder is an extremely chronic condition that ebbs and flows throughout a person’s lifetime. And, whilst it’s always possible that an individual episode of depression may disappear on its own without treatment, there is no guarantee that things won’t get worse before they get better.
Depression can happen to anyone, it really can. With various successful and famous people who seem to have everything going for them, battling with this problem. Depression also is not ageist.
Half of people with depression will only experience it once but for the other half it will happen again and possibly again. The length of time that it takes to recover ranges from around six months to a year or more and is dependant on the sufferer swell as the treatment.
Where Can I get Help For Depression?
Living with depression is difficult for those who suffer from it and for their family, friends, and colleagues. People around you not knowing how to act or interact with you for fear of the reaction can make for some pretty lonely times. It can be very difficult to know if you are depressed and what you can do about it.
I have worked with many different levels of depression and reasons for it. I have found that with consistent support, guidance and help, a sufferer of depression really can turn their lives around and get back to a great balance. You don’t have to suffer alone or in silence anymore, together we can make your life enjoyable again.
Clare Kiernan is the sole owner of Essex Therapy and can be contacted on 01268 527757 or 07840 416633 or if you feel more comfortable sending an email, please do so to: callme@essextherapy.com.