Life is full of ups and downs, sometimes you might find yourself experiencing what seems like more of the “downs”.
You might find yourself becoming overwhelmed with what is happening around you and experience difficulties coping with life’s stressors. Whilst it is normal to experience short periods when things might seem more difficult, if you find these periods are happening more frequently and more intensely, you might be suffering from what is called depression. Depression is different to feelings of general sadness and it doesn’t necessarily have a “cause”.
Depression presents itself through a wide range of symptoms, and each person may encounter a unique combination of these symptoms. The manifestation of depression can vary greatly among individuals, as it depends on the specific symptoms they experience. Depression does not discriminate between people based on their age, work roles, family life or education. Depression can affect anyone.
Symptoms of depression include:
Low mood
Loss of interest in activities
Decreased motivation
Changes in appetite and associated weight loss or gain
Changes in sleep – both insomnia (not sleeping) and hypersomnia (sleeping too much), difficulties falling asleep and night time waking
Fatigue for no real reason
Difficulties concentrating
Difficulties making decisions
Recurrent thoughts of death, thinking or planning suicide, suicide attempts
Reduced libido
Ruminating thoughts
Worrying
Negative thinking
Withdrawal from social groups
Feeling easily agitated
Feelings of hopelessness, or feeling “trapped”
Feeling overwhelmed
Each individual can experience depression differently and can have any combination of the above symptoms, and further symptoms not listed.
Fortunately, there are many different psychological treatments which can be effective in helping to support someone suffering from depression. Every individual will respond differently to different strategies, so it is important to try a number of different approaches to determine what is going to work best for you. Psychological treatment strategies can help you to overcome depression and return to living a meaningful, rich life.
Urgent Assistance
If you are in need of urgent support, you can contact the below 24 hour services for immediate support:
- Emergency – 000
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636
Match with a Psychologist
Steps you can take
If you think you might be suffering from depression and would like support to improve your life you can contact us at Strategic Psychology via phone, email or drop in to our office to arrange to meet with one of our trained psychologists for a confidential discussion.
No referral is needed to make an appointment. However, you can arrange for an appointment with your GP to discuss your mental health and the support which may be available through Medicare. If you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan, your GP can provide this to you to bring along to your session which will allow you to access a rebate through Medicare.