WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

A mental health disorder characterised by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.

Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests that these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain.

The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterises major depression can lead to a range of behavioural and physical symptoms. These may include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behaviour or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide.

The mainstay of treatment is usually medication, talk therapy or a combination of the two. Increasingly, research suggests that these treatments may normalise brain changes associated with depression.

Depression is caused by multiple factors and should be treated with multiple approaches -

 Most care providers recommend a single treatment (antidepressant medication, talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc.) to address a disorder that is never caused by one thing alone. Depression is nearly always rooted in a variety of factors, sometimes going back years.

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Keep going. No matter how stuck you feel. No matter how bad things are right now. No matter how many days you spent crying. No matter how hopeless & depressed you feel. No matter how many days you spent wishing things were different. I promise this won't last forever. Keep going.

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Depression is….

Feeling like you can’t do anything.

Feeling like you’re tired all the time.

Feeling like nobody wants you.

Feeling like “what’s the point?”

Feeling like nothing will ever get better.

Feeling like you’re lonely.

Feeling like you’re going to bust out crying for no reason.

Depression is….

Something we didn’t choose.

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