With mental health, lots of phrases and terms may often be used that may at first raise more questions than they answer such as what does this mean, and what does it also mean for my mental health. That is why throughout these blog posts we have done our best to highlight many of these key phrases and terms, so that you may feel a bit more familiarised with them.
This week are going to talk about depression, and what exactly that means for your mental health. Understanding what it is can help in creating empathy, reducing stigma and offering support.
To start with, Depression is a mental health problem that affects millions of people all over the world and involves having a feeling of a low mood and losing interest and enjoyment in things that perhaps you’d use to enjoy. We can all feel sad sometimes however depression is normally said to last for longer periods instead of over a few days. Depression can also cause a variety of changes to how you both behave and how you feel. It can also affect anyone regardless of your age, gender or background.
There are many things throughout life that could cause someone to experience depression such as…
- Life events. We can experience depression after going through a stressful or traumatic period in our lives. These could include any kind of abuse, bullying, grief, relationship problems and then perhaps your financial situation or work.
- Childhood experiences. Difficult things experienced as a child can often leave people vulnerable to experiencing depression later in life.
- Physical. Sometimes we may struggle with keeping a healthy lifestyle, which could potentially affect our mood and whilst its unlikely to cause depression on its own, it could make us more vulnerable.
These are just a few of the potential causes, but like all things mental health everyone’s situation is different and as such there could be many other things that could cause someone to experience depression.
It is also just as important to be able to recognise the symptoms, as this could help both yourself and the people around you.
1) Persistent sadness or a feeling of emptiness
2) Loss of interest or enjoyment in activities
3) Changes in appetite or weight
4) Sleep disturbances
5) Fatigue or decreased energy
6) Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
7) Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
8) Reoccurring thoughts of death or suicide
Through knowing what to look out for, it can help identify when you or others need support.
"(What helps is) surrounding myself with friends and family who understand without pointing it out, who treat me normally but recognise that everyday life can be a struggle sometimes".
You are not alone. There is help out there.
Such as us here at Burton and District Mind. Everything we do is about making sure that everyone who needs help for their mental health can access compassionate, judgement-free support!
We have lots of different services that have been fantastic for so many people, and we are constantly improving to provide the highest possible quality support that we can offer.
You can check out all of these services today, by taking a quick look through our website -> https://www.burtonmind.co.uk/ourservices
We are here for you!
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