Most of us, if asked to describe depression, will talk about being sad, gloomy, taking to bed with a duvet over our head or feeling that life holds nothing good for us. We would be right, but this is only one set of symptoms of depression.
Depression is a debilitating condition that many people struggle with often without recognizing the signs. Research shows that at any one time a quarter of the UK population is struggling with a degree of depression.
It is easy to overlook the symptoms as we slide into low mood and depression. Many people have developed strategies to override and mask underlying feelings of low mood and depression in order to cope with life. This can make symptoms harder to recognize.
Some of these coping strategies may include always being busy both at home and at work, over-exercising or over-eating resulting in weight-gain or restriction and control which can lead to weight loss; Using alcohol or drugs to soothe difficult feelings until these coping strategies become problems in themselves.There are other coping strategies which can begin to undermine your life or your relationships like regular over spending or even looking for a lift through seeking admiration in order to feel better.
If any of this sounds familiar, you may benefit from requesting an initial short free assessment online to discuss and explore how you can start to acknowledge that you may be experiencing low mood or depression.
Contact me to book a free consultation on Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp.
It gives you the opportunity to meet me and see if you feel comfortable working with me. It also gives me the opportunity to explore what you are struggling with.