Depression
Depression is a state of feeling sad, down or lost for an extended period of time. If such feelings have become a way of life for you, you may not have learnt that you can take steps to feel more positive about yourself and life in general.
Depression often goes undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, because people don't recognize the seriousness of what they are feeling. Perhaps you feel you should be able to turn off or 'get over' the emotions you are feeling or you feel guilty about 'burdening' others with your worries.
We all feel sad, down or lost at some point, and it is ok to experience these emotions. Often they will pass within a few hours or days. If you have been experiencing these emotions for more than a couple of weeks, however, they can be difficult to overcome.
While depression is treatable, it is difficult to deal with alone because it manifests as a cycle - negative thoughts can cause withdrawal from, or avoidance of, your normal activities which in turn makes you feel worse and increases your negative thoughts.
Breaking the cycle means changing the way you think and the negative habits you may have developed. While it may not sound easy, you can learn skills to change your thought patterns to solve the immediate problem and reduce the chance of depression occurring again.
If you have been experiencing any of the feelings or emotions below for more than a couple of weeks, contact us or speak to someone you trust.
Signs of Depression
- Feeling sad or down all the time
- Losing interest in things you previously enjoyed
- No longer socialising with friends or family
- Losing or gaining weight in a short period of time
- Having no energy or feeling hyperactive
- Poor concentration
- Low self-esteem or feelings of failure
- Feeling guilty or blaming yourself all the time
- Indecisiveness
- Unsettled sleep or inability to sleep
- Unable to go to work or uni
The first step to feeling better is to speak to someone. If you feel unable to speak with friends or family, please contact us.