eNEWSLETTER
June 2006
Our Mission Statement:
"Providing a range of innovative professional services, empowering our clients to positively address issues affecting their lives."
Welcome to the June edition of Clayfield Counselling Services e-newsletter. This month we say a sad farewell to Mary Harris who is now retiring from counselling to indulge her love of travelling. This month we also say goodbye to Lena Bentley who is taking some time away from Clayfield Counselling. We welcome Bev Hulme and Lorraine Stokes who are joining our team of psychologists.
Depression
Are you having trouble getting out of bed lately? Do you find that the activities you once enjoyed no longer bring you pleasure? Perhaps you’re feeling empty or like you’re in a black hole you just can’t seem to climb out of? If you’ve been feeling this way for quite a while and it has “taken over” your life to the point that your ability to function normally in your day to day life has been affected, you might be experiencing depression.
“One in five Australians will experience clinical depression at least once in their life” - Maria Prendergast, Understanding Depression, 2006
There seems to be a widespread belief that depression is a “mind over matter” type of illness and that a person who is depressed needs to just “snap out of it”. People who are suffering from depression are often told to stop feeling sorry for themselves and get back to work or to “get over it”. But depression doesn’t work that way. People who find themselves battling depression are in for a long, slow and difficult battle and the best way to win the fight is to ask for help as soon as possible.
Common symptoms of depression
- Inability to experience pleasure
- Insomnia or disturbed sleeping patterns
- Persistent negative thoughts
- Increased levels of anger, irritability or anxiety
- Fatigue
- Lack of motivation
- Difficulty concentrating and/or remembering
- Reduced libido
- Persistent thoughts of death or suicide
Types of depression
Some common types of depression are:
- Dysthymic disorder (characterised by at least 2 years of depressed mood)
- Bipolar mood disorder
- Postnatal depression
Many people find themselves suffering from more than one form of mental illness at once. For example, it is not unusual to see a person dealing with an anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder as well as depression. It isn’t always simple and clear cut to diagnose depression.
Treatment options
Many people who suffer from depression delay seeking help because they fear that they will just be prescribed medication and the underlying issues won’t be addressed. Sometimes it is necessary to prescribe some form of medication, such as anti depressants to help a person who is struggling with depression; particularly if they are likely to harm themselves or someone else. Anti depressants vary widely and some people may experience side effects whilst taking them. It is important to communicate any questions or concerns you may have to your doctor or psychiatrist. It is possible for a person to experience side effects with one particular kind of anti depressant and not experience any side effects with a different prescription.
Some people find that a combination of any or all of the following may help to lessen the effects of depression and eventually beat it:
- Exercise
- Counselling
- Change of diet
- Laughter therapy
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Phototherapy
It is essential that a person suffering from depression is surrounded by a supportive group of people. It is also much easier to combat depression if the people dealing with it are all fully aware of what they’re dealing with. The more depression is understood, the easier it is to handle. Educate yourself and the people who support you. Read books, seek information and ask questions.
Depression is not simple or straightforward. It is not possible for us to cover the entire topic in a newsletter. Depression can be insidious; because of the very nature of the illness, a person who suffers from depression may feel hopeless and disinclined to seek help. This is one of the reasons depression can have such disastrous effects on a person’s life and the lives of the people around him/her. It is important not to underestimate it.
If you suspect that you are suffering from depression or someone you are close to is depressed, please seek professional help. Clayfield Counselling Services has a variety of counsellors available to help and because of this, we usually have an available appointment time. This means there’s no need to wait for weeks to see a counsellor. There is absolutely no shame in seeking help for depression and the situation is not hopeless; no matter how you may feel. So remember; the sooner you take a step towards seeking help, the better your chances for a quick recovery.
Some interesting books for you to read
- You Can Cope! Overcoming Stress, Anxiety and Depression - Peter Stebbins, 2003
- Understanding Depression - Maria Prendergast, 2006
- Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness - William Styron, 1992
Some interesting links
Office hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. After hours and Saturday appointments are available on request.
Until next time then...
“In depression this faith in deliverance, in ultimate restoration, is absent. The pain is unrelenting and what makes the condition intolerable is the foreknowledge that no remedy will come - not in a day, an hour, a month or a minute. If there is mild relief, one knows that it is only temporary: more pain will follow. So the decision making of daily life involves not, as in normal affairs, shifting from one annoying situation to another less annoying- or from discomfort to relative comfort, or from boredom to activity – but moving from pain to pain. One does not abandon, even briefly, one’s bed of nails, but is attached to it wherever one goes.”
- William Styron, Darkness Visible