Depression

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Some experts look upon depression as a defence mechanism that one’s body adopts in order to escape from unbearable stress. In some cases, it could even be a form of anger directed towards the self for not having lived up to one’s expectations, which may well have been set too high in the first place.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF DEPRESSION?

• sadness and feeling weepy
  
• numbness, lethargy and a loss of interest in things and activities you used to enjoy
  
• wanting to hide away from people, perhaps even by staying in bed
  
• constant tiredness and problems sleeping
• loss of appetite, or eating to excess for the comfort it may bring
  
• stress and frustration
  
• irritability and aggression
  
• feeling that you cannot cope
  
• inability to see any glimmer of a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’
  
• asking yourself what the point of living is

WHO SHOULD YOU TURN TO FOR HELP?

If things are so bad that you do not want to live anymore, then you must contact a doctor, the police, or the Samaritans (see our Useful Links pages).

However, if you choose to do nothing about your depression then we know from our own experience that not only will the illness continue to affect you, it will probably trouble the people who are close to you, and especially your children, if you have them.

With appropriate help, many people do recover from the worst of their depression, do find ways of facing up to their problems, and do get back to living normal and happy lives again.

Once a doctor diagnoses depression, some people may be prescribed medication, and a small minority of these may have to spend time in hospital or receive professional counselling. Others may be helped by talking their problems over with close friends, if they have them, or by using our services, or other organisations such as those listed in Useful Links and Other Links.

Nevertheless, depression always hurts sufferers, and may hurt those close to them because they are unlikely to understand the illness and how it affects people. Most of our members are either present or past sufferers from depression, and know exactly what that “hurt” is like. They know first-hand how very different depression is from simply feeling “low and miserable”, “down in the dumps”, or just “browned off”.

SO HOW CAN DEPRESSION UK HELP YOU?

These fellow sufferers will certainly sympathise with you and understand your feelings and, in a friendly and non-professional way, will probably encourage you to fight your illness and never give up hope. You might even find a pen or phone friend with whom you could continue to communicate with over a period of time, thus giving you the reassurance of knowing that there is “someone out there” whom you could turn to, should the need arise.

WHAT ARE OUR MESSAGES TO YOU?

• it may prove to be hard going, but eventually most people can overcome their depression
  
• you may feel helpless, even hopeless, but you can help others by sharing
  
• please join us, so that we may help you “get better”
  
• recovered? Why not join us to give others the help of your story/experiences.

(Page updated: 28 August 2009)