What is Depression?

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Depression is an overwhelming sense of doom and gloom. It can also be a sense of boredom and loss of interest in life. There are many causes of depression. Some of the biggest causes of depression include:

 

  •  Stress
  •  Poor physical health
  •  Lack of wealth
  •  Diminished social conditions (including status)
  •  Lack of effective social supports
  •  Unrealistic goals
  •  Negative social influences
  •  Low self esteem

 

Bored Depression

 

What is Depression?

 

 

For a lot of people, especially men, they will suffer from bored depression. A lot of people think that depression is due to only a depressed mood. Many people (who suffer depression), will be able to go to work, will be able to hold down a job and have a relationship but inside they are suffering. Life to them has no meaning. They are indifferent to outcomes in life and to the world around them.

 

 

 

 

Bored depression often occurs in people who have type A, goal driven personalities. They will incorrectly try to deal with their depression through excessive activity. For example, they may engage in:

 

  •  Excessive exercise
  •  Burying themselves in their work
  •  Social media
  •  Email
  •  Travel

 

 

 

Teenage Depression

 

Teenage depression in western society is almost as common as adolescence itself. The pressures placed on teenagers, especially during the schooling year to succeed and achieve excellence is highly burdensome. Pressures that teenagers have to deal with include:

 

  •  Academic achievement
  •  Body image
  •  Social status
  •  Peer pressure
  •  Economic status
  •  Sports Achievement

 

Some short-term strategies that teenagers employ to try and deal with the pressures of life as well as their depression include:

 

  •  Underage sex
  •  Drugs
  •  Alcohol
  •  Lying
  •  Stealing
  •  Self-harming
  •  Isolation

 

Manic Depression

 

Manic depression, otherwise known as bi-polar is where somebody experiences extreme mood swings, oscillating between the depressed and the hyper manic state. The manic state is characterised by periods of extreme depression or downs, followed by a radical mood swing to a manic or high state, where the suffer feels on top of everything.

 

The manic state is characterised by high energy levels and sudden outbursts of high-energy activities, without an awareness that either state has been experienced previously. Similar to the Dr Jeckle/ Mr Hyde syndrome, the 2 distinct personalities are unaware that the other exists.

 

Physiological Depression

 

Physiological depression is when the mental health state of the sufferer, has been directly influenced by the physical health of the brain. Often referred to as a chemical imbalance, this condition is usually treated through pharmaceutical medication. People in hospital suffering from serious medical conditions, will often require treatment for depression as their ill state of health affects their entire organism.

 

Depression Is Not The End Of The World

 

Depression comes in many shapes and forms.

 

Just because you have depression or exhibit some of the symptoms explained in this article, does not mean that your life is over. People all over the world are living amazing lives while managing the black dog.

 

In fact if we look back though history, many great people have done great things, while suffering mental illness. For example, Winston Churchill, lead Great Britain and the Allies, with great acclaim, during World War 2 while suffering severe depression, himself.

 

 

 

If you are suffering from depression contact one of the Psychologists in your area.

 

Depression 101 (The Facts)

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Depression

 

Many Psychologists see medication as a band aid solution.

 

Depression is the leading mental health issue facing the world today. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people will suffer from mild, moderate and major depression at some stage this year. Over 80% of people will experience some form of depression at 1 point in their life.

 

Depression in its most severe form can lead to thoughts of suicide and can eventuate in self-harm and suicide.

 

Depression, also know as the black dog is unfortunately still stigmatized by societies around the world. Many people feel that they are unable to talk about their depression for fear of being considered less than by their peers. As a result many people suffer in silence and alone.

 

 

 

What is Depression?

Depression is an overwhelming feeling of helplessness, despair and a general lack of interest in life that maintains itself over the medium-long term. Fluctuations in mood, especially feelings of depressed mood is a common mental state. Depression is characterised by this depressed mood maintaining and not lifting over the medium to long-term.

 

Unfortunately, we are not taught how to handle negative thoughts and emotions and tend to react as apposed to acting whenever we are faced with this situation (internally). Common responses to depression include:

 

  • Drugs
  • Alcohol
  • Sex
  • Binge eating
  • Shopping and self-harming

 

Medical practitioners will often prescribe medication such as Prozac. These drugs effect the brain’s ability to experience fluctuations in mood and are said to have a stabilizing effect on the sufferer’s condition.

 

Modern psychology sees reliance on these drugs as a band-aid solution that addresses the symptom and not the cause. Modern psychological approaches to address the cause of your depression include:

 

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Interpersonal Therapy
  • Art Therapy

 

People often find that they are unable to talk with friends and family about the issues that they are struggling with. Instead finding it helpful to talk with an un-biased 3rd party mental health professional, who is able to empathise and understand what they are going through.

 

Depression can lead you to feeling alone, hopeless and worthless and disassociated and unaffected. Which can often lead to poor decision-making and anti-social behaviour. Again, these are reactive behaviours that psychologists can help you to modify.

 

As with anxiety, people can get stuck in their heads, consumed by their negative and self-obsessive thoughts. Often this can lead to an unrealistic representations of reality.

 

One step away from the darkness is heading towards the light.

 

If you are struggling with depression, contact a psychologist in this directory to get the help that you deserve today.

 

Anxiety 101 (The Facts)

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Anxiety

 

Anxiety can make you feel isolated and afraid.

 

Anxiety, along with depression is the most common mental health complaint within society. Many of its suffers complain in severe cases of suffering from panic attacks. This occurs when they experience elevated heart rates, sweaty palms and a general inability to be present in a given situation.

 

 

A lot of sufferers find that their anxiety attacks are so severe that left un-medicated, can result in an inability to gain employment or operate a motor vehicle. A common form of medication is Valium. However, it is important to note that this particular drug is highly addictive and withdrawal symptoms can be severe, often resulting in symptoms similar to epileptic fits and seizures.

 

So what causes anxiety?

 

Essentially anxiety is the inability to be present in the moment and to allow the natural order of events to flow around you, without the need to control or influence the outcome of the natural order of events that occurs in our daily lives. Fear and worry is also a major trigger for anxiety episodes. Whether it be,

 

  • fear for the loss of a job
  • fear of death
  • fear of loss of love
  • fear of failure.

 

The only thing to fear is fear itself. Fear is a natural part of life and something that we don’t need to be overly worried about. It comes and passes, like any other emotion or thought. And it should be seen as a natures warning system to heed caution.

 

Sufferers of anxiety will often find themselves breaking out in cold sweats and will have difficulty in sleeping. At nighttime, if they are able to calm their minds and thoughts, then this is the antidote to insomnia. Some people find it beneficial to meditate or pray or read a book before bed.

 

Things to avoid include:

 

  • excessive caffeine
  • alcohol
  • high sugar content foods
  • drugs
  • cigarettes
  • negative social influences.

 

On the other hand, things to embrace include, associating with friends and colleagues who have an understanding and calming effect, eating healthy food (including fruit and vegetables), partaking in hobbies and sports that you enjoy, listening to peaceful music.

 

Modern treatment methods include, challenging faulty thoughts that you perceive to be true and real. Other tools include, relaxation and mediation

therapy.

 

Therapists are increasingly turning to Buddhists ideologies to help people to gain awareness and a sense of the moment.

 

A lot of people are unaware that they are suffering from anxiety and can present themselves to a GP that will refer them to a psychologist, who will help them to recognise that they have a problem with managing anxiety.

 

 

If you feel that you may be suffering anxiety, then please consult one of the psychologists in the directory