About Depression
Everyone experiences variation in mood: sometimes you just feel a bit low, or experience normal grief that accompanies the loss of someone you love. But a long lasting low mood that interferes with the ability to function, feel pleasure, or take an interest in things is not merely a case of the blues - it is an illness known as depression.
If you think you are suffering from depression speak to your GP who can prescribe medication or refer you to a counselling.
Depression affects a person’s physical state, mood and thought processes. People with depression cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed away but an illness that needs treatment to reduce symptoms.
Depression affects anyone of any age, including young children. According to the Mental Health Foundation, 1 in 6 people will have depression at some point in their life. It is most common in people aged 25 to 44 years. However, these figures are based on people who actually seek help, and there will be more who remain undiagnosed. People who do not receive support, especially young men, are at particular risk of suicide.
