Have you ever been depressed?
Maybe you have, but you didn’t recognise it as depression. Depression simply refers to ‘low mood’. We’ve all experienced times of at least mild depression at some time in our life – your football team loses, you fail a test, a friend moves way, or you have a difficult day. However, this type of mild depression usually passes within a few days or even hours. However, some depression can settle in for weeks, months and even years in some situations.
Unlike a physical injury or illness, depression is hard to ‘see’, but it is no less painful or difficult to work through.
Depression affects people in a wide variety of different ways. Symptoms of depression may include a negative change in thought, in mood or in behaviour. Depression can happen to anyone.
When you’re feeling depressed …
- Observe your thinking. Our thinking has a powerful affect on our feelings and also our behaviour. When we feel low, our thoughts and memories are usually selectively bad.
- Talk to a friend or counsellor. We all need caring relationships that provide emotional support to us, especially during tough times.
Freedom from Depression … Think about it.