Coping with Depression

Most of us have at some time experienced feeling "low" or "a bit down". We can usually attribute this to something specific which is going on in our lives and causing us concern. Perhaps we have been working harder than usual, or it may just be that we just feel the need for a little sunshine! The feeling usually passes in and a few days we are back to normal.

This is not depression.

No Meaning, No Motivation

Depression is a diagnosable illness. People suffering from depression report feeling that their lives have no meaning, that there is a pall of gloom hanging over them every day, often at its worst first thing in the morning. They may not sleep well, or else so deeply they find it hard to get going when they wake up.

A depressed person has little or no motivation to manage daily life. Even simple tasks seem daunting and exhausting. S/he finds it difficult to concentrate and so begins to lose confidence at work. It becomes impossible to enjoy the company of others and so s/he may withdraw into her/himself. The pattern becomes a downward spiral.

A counsellor isn't a medical practitioner, so although s/he may suspect that someone is experiencing clinical depression, they will refer them on to their GP for diagnosis. However, once the diagnosis has been made, counselling can often form part of the treatment. People can, of course, seek counselling without necessarily seeing a GP first, but the counsellor may suggest that it would be a good idea to get a doctor's opinion before proceeding with regular counselling.

Reversing the Downward Spiral

At one level, counselling for depression aims to help the individual implement strategies and lifestyle changes which reverse the downward spiral and redress the balance. There may also be deeper, underlying causes for the depression which the counsellor may help the individual become aware of and address. Post-natal depression may call for a different approach, as this can emerge months or even years after a birth and may be connected to the parents' readjustment to the new family structure.

Some of the symptoms of depression are listed below.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
You constantly feel sad	You feel there's no future
You feel you've let yourself down	You cry more than usual
You don't want to wake up and face another day	Other people bore or irritate you
You're less (or more) interested in sex	You can't make decisions
Your sleeping patterns have changed	You're more worried about your health
You feel you're a worthless person	You get tired, even after a day of doing almost nothing
You can't think quickly	You feel life is not worth living
You can't face problems the way you used to	You avoid friends because you can't think of anything to say to them

These are just some of the symptoms you may be experiencing. For more information go to the NHS Direct Online page on depression. Information and support are offered by The Depression Alliance, www.depressionalliance.org