This is a gland the size of a pea which sits at the base of the brain and produces hormones that stimulate the thyroid. Damage to the pituitary gland can cause symptoms, including severe tiredness and a lack of interest in sex, which can then cause people to develop depression. Alcohol is categorised as a "strong depressant" which can make depression worse, and drinking or taking drugs to cope can lead to a downward spiral by having a negative affect on other parts of your life.
There's evidence that cannabis can cause depression, particularly in teenagers, even if it helps you relax. If you experience depression symptoms most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks, you should visit your GP. This is especially important if:. It can be hard for people with depression to imagine that anything can help them — but the sooner you seek help, the sooner the symptoms start to get better. Your GP may examine you and perform blood or urine tests to make sure there isn't another condition causing your depression symptoms, like an underactive thyroid.
When you see your GP, they'll try to find out if you have depression by asking you questions. These are likely to be about your health, how you're feeling, and how that is affecting you mentally and physically. Telling your doctor your symptoms and the affect they are having on you will help your GP to tell if you have depression, and how severe the condition is. It's important to be as open as possible.
Your conversation with your GP will be confidential. This rule can only be broken if your GP thinks there is a significant risk of harm to you or others, and that telling a family member or carer would make that risk lower. The first place to go is your GP — they will refer to you local talking treatments for depression that are available on the NHS. You may also have the option to self-refer, depending on where you live, so you can go directly to a professional therapist if you'd rather not talk to your GP.
CBT helps you make sense of your thoughts and behaviour and the affect they have on you. Part of it's recognising that past events may have played a part in making you who you are, but the main focus is changing how you feel, behave and think now. You can use CBT to learn how to overcome negative thoughts — this can help you to tackle feelings of hopelessness, for example. Most people have a course of six to eight CBT sessions that goes over 10 to 12 weeks.
Sessions are one-to-one, between you and a CBT-trained counsellor. You might also be offered group CBT. This type of CBT is done using a computer instead of face-to-face with the counsellor.
It should be supported by a healthcare professional — your GP may prescribe it, and you might have to use the computer in the GP surgery to access it. CCBT involves a series of weekly sessions. IPT is focused on your relationships with people around you, and problems that you might be having with them. These can include problems communicating, or dealing with a bereavement. There's evidence that suggests IPT can be as effective for depression as CBT or medication, but more research needs to be done.
This is also known as psychoanalytic psychotherapy. You'll work with a therapist who encourages you to say whatever you're thinking. This helps you to find hidden patterns and meanings in your words and behaviour that could be contributing to your depression. Read more about psychotherapy here.
Counselling is a type of therapy that works really well if you have good mental wellbeing overall but need help coping with a crisis that's currently going on in your life. These can include anger, bereavement, infertility, relationship problems, job loss and serious illness.
On the NHS, counselling usually takes place over six to 12 sessions, each an hour long. The sessions are confidential. A counsellor helps you to think about what's going on in your life and find new ways of dealing with the problems. They'll offer practical advice, support you, and help you find solutions, but they don't tell you what to do.
Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression symptoms. There are almost 30 different types of antidepressant that can be prescribed to you. Most people who have moderate or severe depression notice improvement when they take antidepressants, but this isn't the case for everyone. One type of antidepressant might not work for you, but another one could.
It can take two or more different treatments to find the right one for you. Side effects vary between different people and different antidepressants, but the different types of antidepressant all work around as well as each other. If you're prescribed antidepressants, you should see your GP or specialist nurse regularly while you first start taking the medication — every week or two for at least four weeks.
This is so your treatment provider can see how the antidepressants are working. If the medication is working for you, you should continue taking them at the same dose for at least four to six months after the depression symptoms have eased.
People who have had depression in the past might have to take antidepressants for up to five years, maybe longer. Antidepressants aren't addictive. However, you might have withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them suddenly or miss a dose. You can read more about withdrawal symptoms below. If your GP thinks you would benefit from taking an antidepressant, you'll usually be prescribed a modern type called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI.
They help increase the level of a natural chemical in your brain called serotonin, which is thought to be a "good mood" chemical. They can, however, cause nausea and headaches, as well as a dry mouth and problems having sex. However, all these negative effects usually improve over time. Some SSRIs aren't suitable for children under the age of Research shows that the risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviour may increase if they're taken by unders.
Fluoxetine is the only SSRI that can be prescribed for unders, and even then only when a specialist has given the go-ahead. They work by raising the levels of the chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline in your brain. These both help lift your mood. They're generally quite safe, but it's a bad idea to smoke cannabis if you are taking TCAs because it can cause your heart to beat rapidly.
Side effects of TCAs may include a dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, problems passing urine, sweating, light-headedness and excessive drowsiness, but vary from person to person. Venlafaxine and duloxetine are known as SNRIs serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. Like TCAs, they change the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in your brain.
Studies have shown that an SNRI can be more effective than an SSRI, though they're not routinely prescribed as they can lead to a rise in blood pressure. Antidepressants are not addictive in the same way that illegal drugs and cigarettes are, but when you stop taking them you may have some withdrawal symptoms, including:. In most cases these are quite mild and last no longer than a week or two, but occasionally they can be quite severe. They seem to be most likely to occur with paroxetine Seroxat and venlafaxine Efexor.
Withdrawal symptoms occur very soon after stopping the tablets, so can easily be told apart from symptoms of depression relapse, which tend to occur after a few weeks. St John's Wort is a herbal treatment that you can buy from pharmacies and health food shops.
Some people take it for depression. There's some evidence that it can help the symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression, but doctors don't recommend St John's Wort because the amount of active ingredients change depending on the brand and batch. This means that you can never be sure what kind of effect it will have.
If you take St John's Wort with other medications, like anticonvulsants, anticoagulants, antidepressants and the contraceptive pill, it can cause serious problems. St John's Wort can interact with the contraceptive pill and reduce its effectiveness at preventing pregnancy.
You shouldn't take St John's Wort while pregnant or breastfeeding, as we can't be certain that it's safe. If you have severe depression and other treatments, like medication, haven't worked, ECT might be recommended for you.
When receiving ECT, you will be given an anaesthetic and medication that relaxes your muscles to begin with. Electrodes will be placed on your head that give an electrical "shock" to your brain.
ECT can cause side effects including nausea, headaches, aches in the muscles and memory problems. Most people find that ECT is good for relieving severe depression, but the beneficial effects tend to wear off when several months have passed. If you've tried several different antidepressants and had no improvement, your doctor may offer you a type of medication called lithium in addition to your current treatment.
There are two types of lithium: lithium carbonate and lithium citrate. Both are usually effective, but if you're taking one that works for you, it's best not to change. If the level of lithium in your blood becomes too high, it can become toxic.
You'll therefore need blood tests every three months to check your lithium levels while you're on the medication. You'll also need to avoid eating a low-salt diet because this can also cause the lithium to become toxic. Ask your GP for advice about your diet. You can find support and insight by talking about depression with another person or a group. According to research, talking can help you to recover and deal better with stress.
If you don't feel comfortable talking about your symptoms and feelings with other people, you can write about how you feel or use poetry or art to express yourself — doing this can also help you to feel better. It might feel like cigarettes and alcohol are helpful, but in the long run they can make you feel worse. If you have depression it's especially important to be careful when it comes to cannabis.
Contact a GP as soon as possible if you're feeling suicidal or are in the crisis of depression. They'll be able to help you. If you cannot or don't want to contact a GP, call the Samaritans on the helpline is open 24 hours a day, days a year. You can also email jo samaritans. If you feel there's an immediate danger, stay with the person or have someone else stay with them, and remove all available means of attempting suicide, such as medicine.
Over-the-counter medicine, such as painkillers, can be just as dangerous as prescription medicine. Also, remove sharp objects and poisonous household chemicals such as bleach. Some people who have severe clinical depression will also experience hallucinations and delusional thinking, the symptoms of psychosis.
Depression with psychosis is known as psychotic depression. Someone with severe clinical depression feels sad and hopeless for most of the day, practically every day, and has no interest in anything. Getting through the day feels almost impossible. Read more about the psychological, physical and social symptoms of clinical depression.
The delusions and hallucinations almost always reflect the person's deeply depressed mood — for example, they may become convinced they're to blame for something, or that they've committed a crime.
This means not being able to relax or sit still, and constantly fidgeting. At the other extreme, a person with psychotic depression may have "psychomotor retardation", where both their thoughts and physical movements slow down. The cause of psychotic depression is not fully understood.
It's known that there's no single cause of depression and it has many different triggers. For some, stressful life events such as bereavement, divorce, serious illness or financial worries can be the cause.
Genes probably play a part, as severe depression can run in families, although it's not known why some people also develop psychosis. Many people with psychotic depression will have experienced adversity in childhood, such as a traumatic event. Learn more about the causes of clinical depression. The person may need to stay in hospital for a short period of time while they're receiving treatment.
Electroconvulsive therapy ECT may sometimes be recommended if the person has severe depression and other treatments, including antidepressants, have not worked. Treatment is usually effective, but follow-up appointments so that the person can be closely monitored are usually required.
As a result of this lack of insight, it's often down to the person's friends, relatives or carers to seek help for them.
If you're concerned about someone and think they may have psychosis, you could contact their social worker or community mental health nurse if they've previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition. If you think the person's symptoms are placing them or others at possible risk of harm you can:. If you have been diagnosed with psychotic depression, it's your legal obligation to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA as it could affect your driving ability.
Skip to Main Content. Search the site. On this page. Overview Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days. How to tell if you have depression Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms. When to see a doctor It's important to seek help from a GP if you think you may be depressed. What causes depression? Treating depression Treatment for depression can involve a combination of lifestyle changes, talking therapies and medicine.
Living with depression Many people with depression benefit by making lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise, cutting down on alcohol, giving up smoking and eating healthily.
Symptoms The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. Doctors describe depression by how serious it is: mild depression — has some impact on your daily life moderate depression — has a significant impact on your daily life severe depression — makes it almost impossible to get through daily life; a few people with severe depression may have psychotic symptoms Grief and depression It can be difficult to distinguish between grief and depression.
Grief is an entirely natural response to a loss, while depression is an illness. Other types of depression There are different types of depression, and some conditions where depression may be 1 of the symptoms.
These include: postnatal depression - sometimes new mothers, fathers or partners develop depression after they have a baby; this is known as postnatal depression and it's treated in a similar way to other types of depression, with talking therapies and antidepressant medicines bipolar disorder - also known as "manic depression", in bipolar disorder there are spells of both depression and excessively high mood mania ; the depression symptoms are similar to clinical depression, but the bouts of mania can include harmful behaviour, such as gambling, going on spending sprees and having unsafe sex Seasonal affective disorder SAD - also known as "winter depression", SAD is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern usually related to winter When to seek help See a GP if you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than 2 weeks.
A low mood may improve after a short time. Who can get it There's no single cause of depression. Stressful events Most people take time to come to terms with stressful events, such as bereavement or a relationship breakdown.
Personality You may be more vulnerable to depression if you have certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly self-critical. Family history If someone in your family has had depression in the past, such as a parent or sister or brother, it's more likely that you'll also develop it. Giving birth Some women are particularly vulnerable to depression after pregnancy. Loneliness Feelings of loneliness, caused by things such as becoming cut off from your family and friends can increase your risk of depression.
Alcohol and drugs When life is getting them down, some people try to cope by drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs. Illness You may have a higher risk of depression if you have a longstanding or life-threatening illness, such as coronary heart disease or cancer. Diagnosis If you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day for more than 2 weeks, you should seek help from a GP. It's particularly important to speak to your GP if you: have symptoms of depression that are not improving find your mood affects your work, other interests, and relationships with your family and friends have thoughts of suicide or self-harm Sometimes, when you're depressed it can be difficult to imagine that treatment can actually help.
Treatment Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of self-help, talking therapies and medicines. The treatment recommended will be based on the type of depression you have. Mild depression If you have mild depression, the following treatments may be recommended. Wait and see If a GP diagnoses you with mild depression, they may suggest waiting a short time to see if it gets better by itself. Exercise There's evidence that exercise can help depression, and it's 1 of the main treatments for mild depression.
Self-help Talking through your feelings can be helpful. Mild to moderate depression If you have mild to moderate depression that is not improving, or moderate depression, you may find a talking therapy helpful. Moderate to severe depression If you have moderate to severe depression, the following treatments may be recommended.
Antidepressants Antidepressants are medicines that treat the symptoms of depression. Combination therapy A GP may recommend that you take a course of antidepressants plus talking therapy, particularly if your depression is quite severe. Mental health teams If you have severe depression, you may be referred to a mental health team made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, specialist nurses and occupational therapists.
Talking treatments Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT aims to help you understand your thoughts and behaviour, and how they affect you. In some cases, you may be offered group CBT. Interpersonal therapy IPT Interpersonal therapy IPT focuses on your relationships with others and problems you may be having in your relationships, such as difficulties with communication or coping with bereavement.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy In psychodynamic psychoanalytic psychotherapy, a psychoanalytic therapist will encourage you to say whatever is going through your mind. Counselling Counselling is a form of therapy that helps you think about the problems you're experiencing in your life so you can find new ways of dealing with them.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs If a GP thinks you'd benefit from taking an antidepressant, you'll usually be prescribed a modern type called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI.
Tricyclic antidepressants TCAs Tricyclic antidepressants TCAs are a group of antidepressants used to treat moderate to severe depression. The side effects usually ease within 10 days as your body gets used to the medicine.
Withdrawal symptoms Antidepressants are not addictive in the same way that illegal drugs and cigarettes are, but you may have some withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them. These include: an upset stomach flu-like symptoms anxiety dizziness vivid dreams at night sensations in the body that feel like electric shocks In most cases, these are quite mild and last no longer than 1 or 2 weeks, but occasionally they can be quite severe.
They seem to be most likely to occur with paroxetine Seroxat and venlafaxine Efexor. Other treatments Mindfulness Mindfulness involves paying closer attention to the present moment, and focusing on your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and the world around you to improve your mental wellbeing.
St John's wort St John's wort is a herbal treatment that some people take for depression. Also, St John's wort can interact with the contraceptive pill, reducing its effectiveness. Brain stimulation Brain stimulation is sometimes used to treat severe depression that has not responded to other treatments.
Transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS Transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS uses a small battery-operated stimulator to deliver a constant low-strength current through 2 electrodes placed on the head.
The electric current stimulates brain activity to help improve the symptoms of depression. You'll have daily treatment sessions, lasting 20 to 30 minutes, for several weeks. It can be used on its own or with other treatments for depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS involves placing an electromagnetic coil against your head.
The stimulation can improve the symptoms of depression and anxiety. You should also be reminded that you can withdraw your consent at any time. You can drive after having an rTMS session and continue with other activities as normal. You'll have daily sessions that last about 30 minutes for 2 to 6 weeks. Electroconvulsive therapy ECT Electroconvulsive therapy ECT is a more invasive type of brain stimulation that's sometimes recommended for severe depression if all other treatment options have failed, or when the situation is thought to be life threatening.
ECT is usually given twice a week for 3 to 6 weeks 6 to 12 sessions in total. Your health will be closely monitored during and after each session of ECT. Lithium If you have tried several different antidepressants and there's been no improvement, your doctor may offer you a type of medicine called lithium in addition to your current treatment.
Living with There are some key steps you can take to lift your mood and help your recovery from depression. Take your medicine It's very important to take your antidepressants as prescribed, even if you start to feel better.
Diet and exercise Exercise and a healthy diet can make a significant difference to how quickly you recover from depression. Mindfulness It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Talking about it Sharing a problem with someone else or with a group can give you support and an insight into your own depression.
Smoking, drugs and alcohol If you have depression it may be tempting to smoke or drink to make you feel better. The evidence shows that if you smoke cannabis you: make your depression symptoms worse feel more tired and uninterested in things are more likely to have depression that relapses earlier and more frequently will not have as good a response to antidepressant medicines are more likely to stop using antidepressant medicines are less likely to fully recover A GP can give you advice and support if you drink or smoke too much or use drugs.
Work and finances If your depression is caused by working too much or if it's affecting your ability to do your job, you may need time off to recover. Coping with bereavement Losing someone close to you can be a trigger for depression.
Depression and suicide The majority of suicide cases are linked with mental disorders, and most of them are triggered by severe depression. Warning signs that someone with depression may be considering suicide include: making final arrangements, such as giving away possessions, making a will or saying goodbye to friends talking about death or suicide — this may be a direct statement, such as "I wish I was dead", but often depressed people will talk about the subject indirectly, using phrases like "I think dead people must be happier than us" or "Wouldn't it be nice to go to sleep and never wake up" self-harm, such as cutting their arms or legs, or burning themselves with cigarettes a sudden lifting of mood, which could mean that a person has decided to attempt suicide and feels better because of this decision Contact a GP as soon as possible if you're feeling suicidal or are in the crisis of depression.
Helping a suicidal friend or relative If you see any of the above warning signs in a friend or relative: get professional help for them let them know they aren't alone and you care about them offer support in finding other solutions to their problems If you feel there's an immediate danger, stay with the person or have someone else stay with them, and remove all available means of attempting suicide, such as medicine.
Psychotic depression Some people who have severe clinical depression will also experience hallucinations and delusional thinking, the symptoms of psychosis. Symptoms of severe depression Someone with severe clinical depression feels sad and hopeless for most of the day, practically every day, and has no interest in anything.
Other typical symptoms of severe depression are: fatigue exhaustion loss of pleasure in things disturbed sleep changes in appetite feeling worthless and guilty being unable to concentrate or being indecisive thoughts of death or suicide Read more about the psychological, physical and social symptoms of clinical depression.
Symptoms of psychosis Having moments of psychosis psychotic episodes means experiencing: delusions — thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true hallucinations — hearing and, in some cases, feeling, smelling, seeing or tasting things that aren't there; hearing voices is a common hallucination The delusions and hallucinations almost always reflect the person's deeply depressed mood — for example, they may become convinced they're to blame for something, or that they've committed a crime.
People with psychotic depression have an increased risk of thinking about suicide. What causes psychotic depression? Treating psychotic depression Treatment for psychotic depression involves: medicine — a combination of antipsychotics and antidepressants can help relieve the symptoms of psychosis psychological therapies — the one-to-one talking therapy cognitive behavioural therapy CBT has proved effective in helping some people with psychosis social support — support with social needs, such as education, employment or accommodation The person may need to stay in hospital for a short period of time while they're receiving treatment.
Getting help for others People with psychosis are often unaware that they're thinking and acting strangely. Contact the person's GP if this is the first time they've shown symptoms of psychosis. We value your feedback. Click here to complete our online survey. Follow Us. The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. If you're depressed, you may feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy.
The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life. There are many other symptoms of depression and you're unlikely to have all of those listed on this page. Depression can often come on gradually, so it can be difficult to notice something is wrong. Many people try to cope with their symptoms without realising they're unwell. It can sometimes take a friend or family member to suggest something is wrong. It can be difficult to distinguish between grief and depression.
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