DEPRESSION

We all feel sad from time to time, and feeling depressed or feeling sad is a normal emotion. Life is full of disappointments and experiences of loss – and feeling sad is how one processes those disappointments and losses. However, there are times when these feelings become more intense and persistent; or when there is a genetic predisposition and this is when you may need to see a mental health professional.

Common signs of depression are a feeling of persistent sadness that does not go away, a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, loss/increase in appetite, sleep difficulties or too much sleep, feeling fatigued, tired or restless, feelings of worthlessness and/or guilt, difficulty concentrating and thoughts of suicide/death.

Depression in older adults may also include the following symptoms: memory difficulties, physical aches and pains, and becoming more isolated. For some individuals, they may experience extreme changes in mood where they move between feeling really emotionally high (manic state) to feeling really low (depression). This is termed Bipolar Disorder.

Psychotherapy has been shown to improve depressive symptoms and evidenced based therapeutic approaches for depression and bipolar disorder include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT),  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); and Schema Therapy for more long-standing chronic issues that have links to unmet childhood needs.