Depression is common. One in five people become depressed at some point in their lives.
The word depression is sometimes used to describe the normal feelings of low mood that affect us all from time to time. Feeling sad is a natural reaction to experiences that are upsetting; these feelings pass with time.
However, depression is a condition with intense feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness, accompanied by physical effects such as poor sleep and low energy.
Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling this way for a long time. Depression can last for weeks, months or years.
People with a family history of depression are more likely to experience depression themselves.
What is depression?
Depression is not something you can just snap out of. If you are experiencing depression, you may wonder what is happening to you. You may be concerned that the depressive feelings will never end.
Common symptoms of depression include:
- loss of energy
- persistent sadness
- loss of self-esteem
- difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- being unable to enjoy things that are normally pleasurable or interesting
- undue feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
- sleeping too much or too little
- distancing oneself from others
- loss of appetite
- self-harm
- using more alcohol or drugs than usual
- crying, sometimes inexplicably
- losing interest in life or feeling unmotivated
- not coping with things that used to be manageable
- feeling restless, impatient or bored
- being preoccupied with negative thoughts
- losing interest in sex or intimacy
- thinking about death or suicide.
Depression is diagnosed more often in women than men. Various reasons have been suggested for this difference. One thought is that men are less likely than women to report the symptoms of depression to their GPs. Another is that various social and biological factors predispose women to depression.
Men may be reluctant to acknowledge the difficult emotions associated with depression. They sometimes mask depressive feelings with alcohol/drug use, aggression or burying themselves in their work. There is likely a link between depression diagnoses being lower in men but suicide being higher.
The first step in fighting depression is to understand what it is, how it affects you and what may be causing it. Our experienced counsellors will help you understand and alleviate the symptoms you are facing.
Counselling for depression helps
If you are suffering from depression, talking with one of our experienced counsellors will make a big difference. Your therapist will listen and understand, without judging you. They will help you to make sense of what is going on and support you in taking practical steps to improve your mood. Therapy can improve your self-worth and confidence and help you to feel more hopeful about the future.
We understand that talking about depression can be very difficult. Many people with depression find it hard to commit their time and money to therapy because they don’t value themselves enough. Others fear their despair will be too much for the counsellor to bear. Our therapists are carefully chosen for their empathy, experience and ability to work with whatever clients bring.
Counselling for depression is available in our private rooms in Oxford Circus, Bloomsbury and Kensington. First appointments are usually available within one week.
Put your well-being in our experienced hands
You may be interested to read Our Guide to Depression: Understanding Low Mood.
Meet our therapists working with with depression and low mood
