Depression
What is depression?
Depression can affect your ability to manage your day-to-day life. We can all feel low in mood from time to time, but if low mood becomes persistent, you may be experiencing depression.
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Depression is a persistent feeling of low mood, sadness and can be debilitating. It can impact how you think, how you feel about yourself and what you do in your day to day life.
How common is depression?
Recent estimates show that depression affects around 1 in 6 people in the UK (ONS, 2021).
Signs you may have depression
It is important to remember that each person’s experience of depression is different, and symptoms can change and shift over time. Listed below are some of the common signs and symptoms of depression.
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Low mood and/or sadness that persists
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Negative thoughts
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Loss of interest
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Loss of pleasure
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Not being able to concentrate
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Difficulty making decisions
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Low self confidence
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Low self esteem
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Problems with your memory
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Suicidal thoughts or behaviours
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Feeling guilty, blaming yourself
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Feeling worthless
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Feeling helpless
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Crying more than usual
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Self-harm​
Physical symptoms
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Poor sleep, disturbed sleep, difficulty getting to sleep
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Appetite changes
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Feeling fatigued or tired all the time
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Feeling agitated
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Feeling slowed down in your body
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Speaking more slowly than usual
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Loss of libido
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Unexplained aches and pains
What are the different types of depression?
There are a few different types of depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by low or depressed mood during the winter months.
Post-natal depression (PND) occurs after having a baby. Depression can be a response to life events (sometimes called reactive or situational depression) and maybe be a one-off episode.
Sometimes people have recurring bouts of depression and this is called dysthymia.
Psychological treatments for depression
Depression can get better with the right help. There are many different types of talking therapies that have been shown to help people with depression, such as cognitive behaviour therapy (NICE, 2009) and acceptance and commitment therapy (Twohig and Levin, 2017).
How can I get help for depression?
All of our Psychologists are trained to help people with depression, and we can offer therapy for depression that is based on the latest research and is individually tailored to you and your circumstances.
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Depression can feel like you are in a black hole with no way of getting out, so taking that first step to get help can feel very difficult.
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We are here to help and understand how hard it can be. We offer a free confidential initial phone call so you can explore how we can help you get your life back on track, or book online now for an initial appointment.
References
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2009). Depression in adults: recognition and management: Clinical guideline CG90.
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Office for National Statistics (2021). Coronavirus and depression in adults, Great Britain: July to August 2021
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Twohig MP., & Levin M. (2017). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Treatment for Anxiety and Depression: A Review. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 40(4), 751-770