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Wednesday, 04 October 2006 12:54

Although everyone knows what it's like to feel anxious, many people don’t have much idea of what it is like to be depressed. It’s true, of course, that we all have good days and bad days, highs and lows, ups and downs. But depression isn’t just feeling unhappy or being in a bad mood.

People who are seriously clinically depressed certainly do feel despondent but there’s more to it than that. Inside themselves, they feel empty and worthless. Worst of all, they feel that things will never get better.

Sometimes depression strikes in the aftermath of a traumatic event such as a bereavement, a divorce or a serious illness. But often it comes out of the blue for no identifiable reason.Symptoms of depression include:

  • Feeling that one is a worthless person
  • Feelings of guilt over what happened in the past
  • A sense of  hopelessness – that there is no light at the end of the tunnel
  • Difficulty with concentration
  • Withdrawing from contact with family and friends
  • Difficulty in falling asleep
  • Waking early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep
  • Loss of appetite
  • A feeling that life isn’t worth living
  • Lack of energy

People suffering from depression need medical help and, if you recognize that you or someone close to you is depressed, you should pluck up the courage to consult your doctor. Treatment may take a while to work but in the long term it is almost always effective. No one stays depressed for ever – even if that’s how they feel at the time.

Some people are unfortunate enough to suffer from recurrent depression. If you are one of them you may find the techniques described on this website helpful in reducing the risk of another episode. We can’t guarantee that these techniques will ward off depression entirely. Even so, by learning to deal more effectively with the stress in your life you give yourself the best chance of coping with feelings of unhappiness and despondency. 
Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 June 2008 16:52