Depression is common
In any one year, around one million people in Australia experience depression. One in six women and one in eight men will experience depression at some time in their life. The good news is, depression is treatable and effective treatments are available. The sooner a person with depression seeks support, the sooner they can recover.
Symptoms of depression
Depression affects how people think, feel and act. Depression makes it more difficult to manage from day to day and interferes with study, work and relationships. A person may be depressed if for more than two weeks they have felt sad, down or miserable most of the time or have lost interest or pleasure in most of their usual activities, and have also experienced several of the signs and symptoms across at least three of the categories in the list below. It’s important to note, everyone experiences some of these symptoms from time to time and it may not necessarily mean a person is depressed. Equally, not every person who is experiencing depression will have all of these symptoms.
Feelings caused by depression
A person with depression may feel:
sad
miserable
unhappy
irritable
overwhelmed
guilty
frustrated
lacking in confidence
indecisive
unable to concentrate
disappointed.
Thoughts caused by depression
A person with depression may have thoughts such as:
‘I’m a failure.’
‘It’s my fault.’
‘Nothing good ever happens to me.’
‘I’m worthless.’
‘There is nothing good in my life.’
‘Things will never change.’
‘Life’s not worth living.’
‘People would be better off without me.’
Behavioural symptoms of depression
A person with depression may:
withdraw from close family and friends
stop going out
stop their usual enjoyable activities
not get things done at work or school
rely on alcohol and sedatives.
Physical symptoms of depression
A person with depression may experience:
being tired all the time
feeling sick and ‘run down’
frequent headaches, stomach or muscle pains
a churning gut
sleep problems
loss or change of appetite
significant weight loss or gain.
Causes of depression
While the exact cause of depression isn’t known, a number of things can be associated with its development. Generally, depression does not result from a single event, but from a combination of biological, psychological, social and lifestyle factors.
Significant adverse life events, such as losing a job, going through a separation or divorce, or being diagnosed with a serious illness, may also trigger depression, particularly among people who are already at risk because of genetic, developmental or other personal factors.
Changes in the brain
Although there has been a lot of research in this complex area, there is still much that we do not know. Depression is not simply the result of a chemical imbalance, for example because a person has too much or not enough of a particular brain chemical. However, disturbances in normal chemical messaging processes between nerve cells in the brain are believed to contribute to depression.
Some factors that can lead to faulty mood regulation in the brain include:
genetic vulnerability
severe life stressors
taking some medications, drugs and alcohol
some medical conditions.
Most modern antidepressants have an effect on the brain’s chemical transmitters, in particular serotonin and noradrenaline, which relay messages between brain cells. This is thought to be how medications work for depression.
Other medical treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may sometimes be recommended for people with severe depression who have not recovered with lifestyle change, social support, psychological therapy and medication. While these treatments also have an impact on the brain’s chemical messaging process between nerve cells, the precise ways in which these treatments work is still being researched.
Seek support for symptoms of depression
Depression is often not recognised and can go on for months or even years if left untreated. It’s important to seek support as early as possible, as the sooner a person gets treatment, the sooner they can recover.