Depression

It’s normal for our moods to vary. We can all feel good one day and bad the next. This is how we react to the ups, downs and stresses of everyday life. But depression is something different. It’s more than just feeling a bit low. It can begin to control you, to influence the way you think, feel and act, and it can prevent you from living a normal life.

What to look out for…

  • Anger and irritability
  • Low mood: Feeling flat
  • A loss of interest in the things going on around you, and in other people
  • Beating yourself up with self-criticism (“I’m useless”) and self-blame (“It’s all my fault”)
  • Low energy and constant tiredness
  • Thinking about hurting yourself and not wanting to go on
  • Hopelessness: Living day by day without considering the future
  • Thoughts racing round and round in your head
  • Inability to make decisions and concentrate

How Common is Depression ?

Almost one in ten experience depression in their lifetime.

Masculinity and depression

Men often find it difficult to recognise when they are depressed and can be reluctant to seek help. They feel that men should be able to manage their own problems and see depression and the feelings that go with it as a sign of failure. This can prevent men from really facing their problems and getting the advice and help they need. Read more about this in the section on Men and Masculinity.

What to do?

Stress can spiral into depression when people withdraw from friends and family and stop doing the things they normally do, from going out locally to getting to work. The less people do, the worse they start to feel, and the more difficult it becomes to get going again. If this vicious cycle continues over time, people can lose their confidence and their mood can plummet. Energy and motivation can also be hard to find. Setting yourself small goals to go out again and interact with others will allow you to start breaking free from this vicious cycle and get control back in your life.

Strategies to give you back control in your life

  1. Set yourself simple tasks that you have avoided since becoming depressed. For example, making a phone call that you have avoided making, making an appointment or sending a form or letter off in the post. Remember the first step is the hardest. It will get easier once you have got going. Make sure that you include activities that give you a sense of achievement and enjoyment.
  2. Think about what you need to do each day – perhaps make a list. This will help you re-establish a routine, something that is often lost in depression.
  3. Break the link between negative thoughts and feelings as negative thoughts produce negative feelings. For example, the thought of being useless will make someone feel miserable. Pay attention to your thoughts and try to take a step back from them to think more clearly. Once you are able to think in a more balanced way, you will not only feel better but will be able to get going again. Ask yourself: What went through my mind? Is there another way of looking at this situation? How would someone else think about this? How would I think about this if I were feeling better?
  4. Make sure you are sleeping properly and eating a balanced diet as this will help improve your mood and well-being. Are you getting enough exercise? Research shows that depression can be kept at bay with regular exercise. When did you last workout or play football?
  5. If you are feeling stuck and worn down, is it time to start problem-solving and make some decisions in your life? Do you need to speak to someone else about your problems? Sometimes other people can help you come up with answers that you can’t find on your own.
  6. Plan for the future. Is your life heading in the right direction or do you need to set some goals for how you want your life to be in the next month, six months and five years? Knowing what you want for your life, can help you get through difficult times.

What other options do you have?

If you can recognise problems before they become severe, you can deal with them more easily. The following options might help with this:

Psychological therapy such as brief CBT (cognitive-behaviour therapy) can be very effective. Speak to your doctor, they don’t just give out drugs, they can also give you advice on places to go for more help.

Some of the self-help options that your doctor/GP can put you in touch with include:
CCBT: A form of self-help using a computer programme.
Guided Self Help: Provides supports to work through a range of self-help materials.
Books on Prescription: Your doctor can also prescribe books, like ‘Overcoming Depression: A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach’ by Paul Gilbert, that can help you to break free from the cycle of depression.

For other ways that your doctor can help click here.

For techniques on controlling depression check out this booklet: Click here for PDF Booklet

There are also lots of ways that you can help yourself.

Check out these websites for more information:
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/mentalhealthproblems/depression/depression.aspx
www.depressionalliance.org