Depression

Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects people in different ways and can cause a variety of symptoms. These can include continuous low mood or sadness, feeling hopeless or helpless, feeling tearful, feeling guilty, feeling irritable and intolerant of others, having no motivation or interest in things, feeling indecisive, not getting enjoyment out of life, feeling anxious or worried, having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself, lack of energy or interest in sex, changes in appetite, and disturbed sleep (sleeping too much or too little). If you have been experiencing these symptoms for weeks or months, rather than just a few days, then you may be suffering from depression. It is important to remember that depression is not a sign of weakness and cannot just be 'snapped out of'. However, there is hope; depression is very much treatable and with the right treatment, many people make a full recovery.

If you are struggling with depression, it is important to seek help. A combination of antidepressant medication and therapy has been shown to be the most effective treatment for depression. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are generally recommended as the most effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of depression. These therapies address the underlying beliefs you may have developed about yourself growing up which could be contributing to depression and decreasing the risk of relapse. With the right support, you can absolutely recover from depression.