DEPRESSION

While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some people experience these feelings intensely, for long periods of time (weeks, months or even years) and sometimes without any apparent reason. Depression affects how you feel about yourself and makes life more difficult to manage from day to day. The encouraging news is that there are a range of treatments, health professionals and services available to help with depression, as well as information on what you can do to help yourself.

Like everyone, you can have occasional mood swings, feel irritable sometimes and be particularly sensitive to rejection and criticism. But if these moods have lasted for two weeks or more, you could be suffering from depression.

Symptoms that may indicate depression include:

• Feeling irritable or grumpy
• Feeling tired
• Feeling worthless or guilty most of the time
• Having thoughts of death or suicide
• Having trouble sleeping – either falling asleep or staying asleep
• Lacking motivation and feeling everything is too hard
• Losing interest in food or eating too much
• Losing weight or gaining weight
• Using cigarettes, alcohol or illegal drugs.

You may also have recurring negative thoughts, such as:

• ‘I’m no good.’
• ‘It’s all my fault.’
• ‘Life’s not worth living.’
• ‘People would be better off without me.’