What is depression?
Depression is a low mood that can last a long time, or keep returning, affecting your everyday life. With around one in six adults impacted, depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the UK. It’s important to remember that feelings of depression can be normal, and that everyone can feel down for long periods of time at some point in their life. If depression is beginning to impact your day-to-day life, there are ways that it can be overcome, and around 70% of depression episodes improve with treatment.
Depression and anxiety
Although they are different conditions, depression and anxiety commonly occur together, and their treatment methods are similar. Experiencing anxiety from time to time is normal, but intense and ongoing feelings of anxiety or depression can be an indication of an underlying mental health condition, or an indication of an underlying imbalance in the body.
In some instances, anxiety can be a symptom of clinical depression, just as depression can be triggered by anxiety conditions – such as panic disorder or separation anxiety disorder.
Common signs of depression
Although depression can present itself differently from person to person, there are a few ‘tell-tale’ signs to look out for:
Emotional symptoms
- Feeling tearful, down, or upset
- Feeling agitated and irritable
- Feelings of emptiness or numbness
- Feeling worthless, guilty or putting yourself down
- Feeling hopeless
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts
- Feeling isolated or struggling to relate to other people
- Not enjoying things you usually would
- Feeling out of touch with reality
- Lack of self-confidence and self-esteem
Behavioural symptoms
- Lower sex drive (libido)
- Suicidal behaviour or self-harming
- Struggling to speak, think clearly, or make decisions
- Avoiding events or activities you would usually enjoy
- Struggling to concentrate and remember things
- Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking recreational drugs more than normal
- Experiencing aches and pains that have no obvious physical cause
- Moving or speaking slower than usual
- Struggling to sleep, or sleeping too much
- Constantly feeling tired
- Changes in appetite, which can lead to losing or gaining weight
- Changes to your menstrual cycle
Psychotic symptoms
Someone experiencing an episode of severe depression may also rarely display the following psychotic symptoms:
- Delusions – such as paranoia
- Hallucinations – such as hearing voices
During a severe depressive episode, psychosis can make delusions and hallucinations appear very real – which can be frightening and upsetting. In these instances, don’t be afraid to seek support. There are a variety of treatment methods available, in the form of self-help, talking therapies, medication or coming off certain types of medication, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation – but only if a patient hasn’t responded to antidepressant medication, or if antidepressants aren’t suitable. A healthcare professional will be able to diagnose and advise on the best path to take.
Symptoms of anxiety
Many people are diagnosed with anxiety and clinical depression. The symptoms of anxiety can include:
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- Faster heart rate
- Feeling as though something bad might happen
- Sweating and trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Struggling to control worrying
- Avoiding things that may trigger anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
- Struggling to sleep
- Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
- Experiencing gastrointestinal problems
If you’re experiencing the above symptoms and they’re not going away on their own, it’s important to seek help from a doctor or mental health provider. Remember that about 70% of depression episodes are improved by treatment, so make an appointment with your GP, and follow the additional advice below.
Take away
If, after reading this, you think that you may be experiencing persistent anxiety or depression, it’s important to speak to a health care professional before your symptoms escalate. It’s always better to tackle the issue early on, and there are several treatment methods available that can help with working on your mental health. The worst thing you can do is bottle it up, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Whether you choose to chat to a therapist or counsellor, use mental health helplines, or contact close friends and family, a strong support circle is key.
As we discussed above, depression can be an underlying symptom of something else, and the right treatment may involve getting to the root cause, whether this is chronic inflammation, a vitamin D deficiency – although further study is needed to support the role of vitamin D in treating depression – , or thyroid disease. By working with your GP, you will be able to explore all available paths to find the best method to treat and overcome depression.
Another useful self-help technique can be downloading the Evergreen Life app and taking our ‘Sense of Wellbeing Check’. This covers a wide range of health-related topics – including questions about mental health. Based on your answers, you’ll be given actionable steps you can take towards feeling better.
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