This page aims to provides information for anyone interested in, or suffering from  depression.

Without emotion, man would be nothing
but a biological computer. Love, joy,
sorrow, fear, apprehension, anger,
satisfaction, and discontent provide
the meaning of human existence.
Arnold M. Ludwig---1980

Depression is a significant problems affecting up to 1 in 4 people at any one time. However there are many solutions and practical steps that lead back to health and a productive life. Learning more about this condition is often an important part of the process of recovery and prevention.

We all feel fed up, miserable or sad at times. These feelings don’t usually last longer than a week or two, and they don’t interfere too much with our lives. Sometimes there’s a reason, sometimes they just come out of the blue. We usually cope with them ourselves. We may talk to a friend but don’t otherwise need any help. We say that one is suffering from depression, when these feelings don’t go away quickly and/or when they are so bad that they interfere with our life.

The feeling of depression is much more powerful and unpleasant than the short episodes of unhappiness that we all experience from time to time. It goes on for much longer. It can last for months rather than days or weeks. Most people with depression will not have all the symptoms listed here, but most will have at least five or six.

You:

• Feel unhappy most of the time (but may feel a little better in the evenings)

• Lose interest in life and can’t enjoy anything

• Find it harder to make decisions

• Can’t cope with things that you used to

• Feel utterly tired

• Feel restless and agitated

• Lose appetite and weight (some people find they do the reverse and put on weight)

• Take 1-2 hours to get off to sleep, and then wake up earlier than usual

• Lose interest in sex

• Lose your self-confidence

• Feel useless, inadequate and hopeless

• Avoid other people

• Feel irritable

• Feel worse at a particular time each day, usually in the morning

• Think of suicide

We may not realise how depressed we are, because it has come on so gradually. We may be determined to struggle on and can blame ourselves for being lazy or feeble. Other people may need to persuade us that it is not a sign of weakness to seek help.

We may try to cope with our feelings of depression by being very busy. This can make us even more stressed and exhausted. We will often notice physical pains, constant headaches or sleeplessness. Sometimes these physical symptoms can be the first sign of a depression.

As in the everyday depression that we all experience from time to time, there will sometimes be an obvious reason for becoming depressed, sometimes not. There is usually more than one reason, and these are different for different people.

The reason may seem obvious. It can be a disappointment ,frustration, losing something or someone important. Sometimes it isn’t clear why we feel depressed. We’re just ‘in a mood’, ‘have got the hump’, ‘feel blue,’ ‘got out of bed the wrong side’. We really don’t know why. Either way, these feelings can become so bad that we need help.

Things that happen in our lives
It is quite normal to feel depressed after a distressing event, such as bereavement, a divorce or losing a job. We may spend time over the next few weeks or months thinking and talking about it. After a while we seem to come to terms with what’s happened. But some of us get stuck in a depressed mood, which doesn’t seem to lift.

Circumstances
If we are alone, have no friends around, are stressed, have other worries or are physically run down, we are more likely to become depressed.

Physical Illness
Depression often strikes when we are physically ill. This is true for life-threatening illnesses like cancer and heart disease, but also for illnesses that are long and uncomfortable or painful, like arthritis or bronchitis. Younger people may become depressed after viral infections, like ‘flu’or glandular fever.

Personality
Anyone can become depressed, but some of us seem to be more likely to than others. This may be because of the particular make-up of our body, because of experiences early in our life, or both.

Alcohol
Many people who drink too much alcohol become depressed. It often isn’t clear as to which came first – the drinking or the depression. We know that people who drink too much are more likely to kill themselves than other people.

Gender
Women seem to get depressed more than men do. This is probably because men are less likely to admit their feelings, bottle them up or express them in aggression or through drinking heavily. Women may be more likely to have the double stress of having to work and, at the same time, look after children.

Genes
Depression can run in families. If you have one parent who has become severely depressed, then you are about eight times more likely to become depressed yourself.

About one in 10 people who suffer from serious depression will also have periods when they are elated and overactive. This used to be called manic depression, but is now often called Bipolar Affective Disorder. It affects the same number of men and women and tends to run in families. (see Help is at Hand leaflet on Manic Depression).

It can seem to other people that a person with depression has just ‘given in’, as if they have a choice in the matter. The fact is, there comes a point at which depression is much more like an illness than anything else. It can happen to the most determined of people, and calls for help, not criticism. It is not a sign of weakness – even powerful personalities can experience deep depression. Winston Churchill called it his ‘black dog’.

• When your feelings of depression are worse than usual and don’t seem to get any better.

• When your feelings of depression affect your work, interests and feelings towards your family and friends.

• If you find yourself feeling that life is not worth living, or that other people would be better off without you.

It may be enough to talk things over with a relative or friend, who may be able to help you through a bad patch in your life. If this doesn’t seem to help, you probably need to talk it over with your family doctor. You may find that your friends and family notice a difference in you and are worried about you.

Don’t keep it to yourself
If you’ve had some bad news, or a major upset, try to tell someone close to you, and tell them how you feel. It often helps to go over the painful experience several times, to cry about it, and to talk things over with someone. This is part of the mind’s natural way of healing.

Do something
Get out of doors for some exercise, even if only for a walk. This will help you to keep physically fit, and you may sleep better. You may not feel able to work, but it is always good to try to keep active. This could be housework, do-it-yourself (even as little as changing a light bulb) or any part of your normal routine. It can help take your mind off painful thoughts which make you more depressed.

Eat well
Try to eat a good, balanced diet, even though you may not feel like eating. Fresh fruit and vegetables are particularly good. Depression can make you lose weight and run short of vitamins, which only makes matters worse.

Beware alcohol!
Resist the temptation to drown your sorrows with a drink. Alcohol actually makes depression worse. It may make you feel better for a few hours, but will then make you feel worse again. Too much alcohol stops you from seeking the right help and from solving problems; it is also bad for your physical health.

Sleep
Try not to worry about finding it difficult to sleep. It can be helpful to listen to the radio or watch TV while you’re lying down and resting your body, even if you can’t sleep. If you can occupy your mind in this way, you may feel less anxious and find it easier to get off to sleep.

Tackle the cause
If you think you know what is behind your depression, it can help to write down the problem and then think of the things you could do to tackle it. Pick the best things to do and try them.

Keep hopeful
Remind yourself that:

• You are suffering from an experience which many other people have gone through. You will eventually come out of it, although you may find it hard to believe at the time.

• Depression can be a useful experience – you may come out of it stronger and better able to cope. It can help you to see situations and relationships more clearly.

• You may be able to make important decisions and changes in your life, which you were avoiding before

Most people with depression are treated by their family doctor. Depending on your symptoms, the severity of the depression and the circumstances, the doctor may suggest some form of talking treatment, antidepressant tablets, or both.

Psychotherapy/counselling

• Simply talking about your feelings can be helpful, however depressed you are. Your GP may have a counsellor at the surgery who you can talk to.

• If your depression seems connected with your relationship with your partner, then RELATE may be most helpful in enabling you to sort out your feelings – RELATE is an organisation that specialises in this area (see 'other organisations' for contact details).

• If you have become depressed while suffering from a disability or caring for a relative, then sharing experiences with others in a self-help group may give you the support you need.

• If you are not able to get over the death of someone close to you, it is particularly helpful to talk about it with someone.

• Sometimes it is hard to express your real feelings even to close friends. Talking things through with a trained counsellor or therapist can be easier. It can be a relief to get things off your chest. If you can have another person’s undivided attention for a while, you are likely to feel better about yourself. There are many different sorts of psychotherapy available, some of which are very effective for people with mild to moderate depression.

• Cognitive therapy helps people overcome the negative thoughts that can sometimes be the cause of depression. Interpersonal and dynamic therapies can be helpful if you find it difficult to get on with other people.

• Talking treatments do take time to work. Sessions usually last about an hour and you might need anywhere from five to 30 sessions. Some therapists will see you weekly, others every two to three weeks.
  
  How do talking treatments work?
  It depends on what form of therapy you have. Just sharing your worries with someone else can help – you feel less alone with your troubles and feel supported. Cognitive therapy helps you to look at and change the ideas you have that make you depressed. Counselling can help you to be clearer about how you feel about your life and other people. Dynamic therapies help you to see how your past experiences may be affecting your life here and now. Talking in groups can be helpful in changing how you behave with other people. You get the chance, in a safe and supportive environment, to hear how people see you and the opportunity to try out different ways of behaving and talking.
  
  Problems with talking treatments
  These treatments are usually very safe but they can have side-effects. Talking about things may bring up bad memories from the past and this can make you low or distressed. Others have reported that therapy can change their outlook and the way they relate to friends and family. This can put strains on relationships. It is important to make sure that you can trust your therapist and they have the necessary training. If you are concerned about having therapy, talk it over with your doctor or therapist. Unfortunately, talking treatments are in short supply. In some areas, you may find yourself waiting for several months if you are referred for psychotherapy.
  
  Alternative remedies
  St John’s Wort is a herbal remedy available from chemists. It is widely used in Germany and there is evidence that it is effective in mild to moderate depression. There are now one-tablet per day preparations available. It seems to work in much the same way as some antidepressants, but some people find that it has fewer side-effects. If you are taking other medication, you should consult your family doctor.
  
  Antidepressants
  If your depression is severe or goes on for a long time, your doctor may suggest that you take a course of antidepressants. These are not tranquillisers, although they may help you to feel less anxious and agitated. They can help people with depression to feel and cope better, so that they can start to enjoy life and deal with their problems effectively again.
  
  It is important to remember that, unlike many medicines, you won’t feel the effect of antidepressants straight away. People often don’t notice any improvement in their mood for two or three weeks, although some of the other problems may improve more quickly. For instance, people often notice that they are sleeping better and feeling less anxious in the first few days.
  
  How do antidepressants work?
  The brain is made up of millions of cells which transmit messages from one to another using tiny amounts of chemical substances called neurotransmitters. Upwards of 100 different chemicals are active in different areas of the brain. It is thought that in depression two of these neurotransmitters are particularly affected – Serotonin, sometimes referred to as 5HT, and Nor adrenaline. Antidepressants increase concentrations of these two chemicals at nerve endings and so seem to boost the function of those parts of the brain that use Serotonin and Nor adrenaline.
  
  Problems with antidepressants

• Like all medicines, antidepressants do have some side-effects, though these are usually mild and tend to wear off as the treatment goes on. The newer antidepressants (called SSRIs) may make you feel a bit sick at first and you may feel more anxious for a short while. The older antidepressants can cause a dry mouth and constipation. Unless the side effects are very bad, your doctor is likely to advise you to carry on with the tablets.

• As with any group of medicines, different antidepressants have different effects. Your doctor can advise you on what to expect, and will want to know about anything that worries you. Make sure your pharmacist gives you an information leaflet with the tablets. Many people wonder if these tablets will make them drowsy. Generally, tablets which make you sleepy are taken at night, so any drowsiness can then help you to sleep. However, if you feel sleepy during the day, you should not drive or work with machinery till the effect wears off.

• You can eat a normal diet while taking most of these tablets (if not, your doctor will tell you) and they don’t cause problems with pain-killers, antibiotics or the Pill. You should avoid alcohol, though. It can make you very sleepy if you drink while you are taking the tablets.

• Your GP, not a psychiatrist, will usually be the one who prescribes an antidepressant. At first, he or she will probably want to see you for regular appointments to make sure the tablets agree with you. If they do help then it is advisable to stay on them for at least four months after you feel better. Sometimes it is necessary to stay on them for longer than this. When it is time to stop, you should come off them slowly with the advice of your doctor.

• People often worry that antidepressants are addictive. You may get withdrawal symptoms if you stop an antidepressant suddenly – these can include anxiety, diarrhoea and vivid dreams or even nightmares. This can nearly always be avoided by slowly reducing the dose before stopping. Unlike addictive drugs such as Valium (or nicotine or alcohol), you don’t have to keep taking an increasing amount to get the same effect and you will not find yourself craving an antidepressant.

Be a good listener. This can be harder than it sounds. You may have to hear the same thing over and over again. It’s usually best not to offer advice unless it’s asked for, even if the answer seems perfectly clear to you. Sometimes the depression may be brought on by an identifiable problem. If so, you may be able to help the person find a solution or at least a way of tackling the difficulty.

• It’s helpful just to spend time with someone who is depressed. You can encourage them, help them to talk, and help them to keep going with some of the things they normally do.

• Someone who is depressed will find it hard to believe that they can ever get better. You can reassure them that they will get better, but you may have to repeat this over and over again.

• Make sure that they are buying enough food and eating enough.

• Help them to stay away from alcohol.

• If they are getting worse and start to talk of not wanting to live or even hinting at harming themselves, take them seriously. Make sure that they tell their doctor.

• Try to help them to accept the treatment. Don’t discourage them from taking medication, or seeing a counsellor or psychotherapist. If you have worries about the treatment, then you may be able to discuss them first with the doctor.

Randomised controlled trial of problem solving treatment, antidepressant medication, and combined treatment for major depression in primary care.
British Medical Journal (2000); 320:26-30
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/320/7226/26

Natural history and preventative treatment of recurrent mood disorders.
Thase FE. Annual Review of Medicine (1999); 50:453-468.
http://med.annualreviews.org/cgi/content/full/50/1/453

Effectiveness of antidepressants: evidence based guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants.
Anderson IM et al. (2000); Journal of Psychopharmacology 14 (1): 3-20.
http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journals/details/j0102.html

Problems stopping: antidepressant discontinuation reactions
British Medical Journal; (1998) 316:1105-1106.
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/316/7138/1105