Depression is not “all in the head”. You don’t just get over it. It is an illness, a mood disorder that leaves the sufferer feeling sad and despondent and unable to experience pleasure. Depression can be very disrupting to the sufferer’s life. The symptoms can make it very difficult to deal with day-to-day activities and those affected very badly by it can be at risk of suicide.

Depression has many causes and takes different forms, but all depressions leave the sufferer with persistent low mood, a lessened sense of pleasure and loss of interest.

Physical signs of depression

The symptoms of depression may include the following:

    • Feelings of isolation
    • Feeling powerless
    • Loss of motivation
    • Low sense of personal worth
    • Guilt
    • Difficulty making decisions
    • Agitation
    • Sleeping much less or much more than usual
    • Trouble concentrating
    • Trouble thinking
    • Trouble with memory
    • Change in appetite
    • Change in body weight
    • Questioning the meaning of life and experiences
    • Thoughts of suicide or death.

If you experience any of the above signs over a period of longer than two weeks, you could have depression.

Now what?

See a doctor. Not all depression sufferers need medication, but in many cases it will make a huge difference. A GP can also refer you for counselling or other therapies that can be beneficial.

Tell the people close to you about your depression. Explain the disease and how it affects you, and answer all their questions.

Exercise. Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins (hormones found in the brain that affect mood) so it can really help to nurture well-being.

Forgive yourself for forgetting things. If you have memory trouble, accept the problem and find ways around it. Lists and notes are always useful and routines can help tremendously to ease pressure on memory.

Focus on one thing at a time. Depression makes it difficult to concentrate, so quit trying to multitask.

Get out there. Don’t sit in a corner and fret about depression. Accept moral support when others offer it and accept invitations to go out with or to friends. Be sociable and try to engage life.

 

Contact the EWP. The EWP is there to assist you. Call us on the EWP number.