Depression who, why?

Any person young or old, male or female can become depressed. Depression is increasing in all age groups, but particularly in the younger teenage group. Females tend to experience depression twice as frequently than males, and depression is estimated around 40% more common amongst children, that have grown up with a parent that is depressed.

There have been many misconceived ideas about depressed people, that they are weak, or just feel sorry for themselves. They are told to ‘snap out of it’ or ‘there are other people worse off than you’. This is certainly not an answer and often makes the person feel guilty or worse about their condition.

Depression has many causes, and as a result has many viable avenues of treatment. Mildly and severely depressed client’s find themselves in situations that are enormously painful and who need help to find a way out. It can effect you physically, causing problems such as eating, sleep disturbance, a lowered sex drive, a decrease of pleasure or interest, fatigue and anxiety. Cognitively, depression can effect your ability to think clearly, making it difficult to concentrate, including poor memory, which can include errors in judgement and decision making.

Day to day living has become more stressful for some people, changes in society, a higher divorce or separation rate, and the general break-up of families, job insecurity, being too fat, too thin. Those who do not perceive themselves as successful, even with a nice car, house, or family. Pressures on children to do better at school, with the now increasing vast array of subjects, can lead to despair, frustration, that may cause anxiety, helplessness or hopelessness. Of course not everyone who experiences these problems or stresses becomes depressed. However, there are numerous amounts of people, thought to be 50% who go untreated because either they don’t know they are depressed, or a consultation with a doctor fails to diagnose depression.

There can be many underlying medical and psychological disorders that create depression where a full investigation is required.