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Have a look on http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/womens_health/mind_depression.shtmlDepression and SADAlmost everyone has mood swings. Feeling anxious, confused or depressed from time to time is normal. But about one in four people experiences serious mental distress at some point in their life that doesn’t resolve itself so easily. |
In this article
Symptoms of clinical depression (depression that’s disrupting a person’s ability to live a normal life) include:
- Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, failure
- Low self-esteem
- Sometimes extreme anxiety
- Sleep problems, particularly waking early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep
- Loss of appetite and weight
- Loss of sex drive
- Slowing of thought and movement (some have described it like living in treacle)
- Recurrent thoughts of death and suicide
If you’re at all worried about your mood, but particularly if these symptoms sound familiar, you should seek help. Talk to your GP or, if you’d rather, find someone you feel comfortable with such as a good friend, relative or member of the clergy, and tell them how you feel.
Causes and treatments
There’s a lot that can be done for depression, including drug treatments and talking therapies. Stigma often stops people seeking help, but it’s important that you see a doctor because depression can be a symptom of a treatable condition, such as thyroid disease or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Depression can also be mixed up with other psychological problems, such as anxiety, phobias and stress.
You may need expert help to sort these out – don’t be afraid to ‘shop around’ for a counsellor or therapist who meets your needs and with whom you feel comfortable.
Try to stay positive. As many thousands of people who’ve been through depression can tell you, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
For a more in-depth look at depression, see the Mental health site.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Many people feel a bit ‘down’ during the winter, but some people suffer more severe bouts of depression at this time, accompanied by low energy levels, sleep and appetite problems and reduced concentration. These can develop to the point where the person has difficulty functioning at home or work. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (affective is a psychiatric term for mood), or SAD. During the spring and summer, sufferers feel well and ‘normal’.
Common symptoms include:
- Extreme fatigue and lack of energy
- Increased need for sleep
- Carbohydrate craving and increased appetite
- Weight gain
How common is it?
Researchers believe SAD results from a lack of sunshine owing to winter’s shorter days – it definitely seems to be more common in northern countries. In the southern US state of Florida, for example, less than one per cent of the population has SAD, compared with as many as ten per cent of people in Canada.
What’s the treatment?
People with milder symptoms of the ‘winter blues’ may be helped by simply spending more time outdoors and taking regular exercise during the winter months.
Research has found that many people with SAD improve when exposed to bright, artificial light. Spending just 30 minutes under a lightbox results in a significant improvement in 60 to 80 per cent of patients. The side-effects of such light therapy, or phototherapy, are mild, but it should be avoided by people with certain medical conditions or those taking some medications.
Other treatments, including antidepressants and counselling, may also be helpful.
This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in August 2007.
DisclaimerAll content within BBC Health is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the BBC Health website. The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. See our Links Policy for more information. Always consult your own GP if you’re in any way concerned about your health. |
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