Low mood and depression

Moodzone: Low mood and depression Media last reviewed: 14/02/2013 Next review due: 14/02/2015

Life's ups and downs: reasons we're not cheerful

Most people experience ups and downs in their life, and during the difficult ti es can feel unhapp!, depressed, stressed or anxious" #his is a nor al part of life"

Man! difficult events and experiences can leave us in low spirits or cause depression $ relationship pro%le s,%ereave ent, sleep pro%le s,stress at wor&, %ull!ing, illness, and pain %eing 'ust a few" (hanges to hor ones, such as during pu%ert!, after child%irth and during the have an effect on !our e otional and ental health" enopause can also

)owever, so eti es it*s possi%le to feel down, without there %eing an o%vious reason"

What is the difference between low mood and depression?

+ general low ood can include: sadness an anxious feeling worr! tiredness low self,estee frustration anger ood will tend to i prove after a short ti e" Ma&ing so e s all changes in !our life, ore sleep, can ood" + low ood that doesn*t go awa! can %e a sign of depression"

)owever, a low i prove !our

such as resolving a difficult situation or tal&ing a%out !our pro%le s and getting -! pto s of depression can include the following:

 .ead

continuous low

ood or sadness

feeling hopeless and helpless having low self,estee feeling tearful feeling guilt,ridden feeling irrita%le and intolerant of others having no otivation or interest in things a&e decisions

finding it difficult to

not getting an! en'o! ent out of life having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of har ing !ourself feeling anxious or worried ore a%out the s! pto s of depression, including the ph!sical and social effects" /epression onths 0-+/1 and after the %irth of

can also co e on at specific points in !our life, such as the winter a child 0postnatal depression1"

Getting help
2hatever the cause, if negative feelings don*t go awa!, are too stopping !ou fro carr!ing on with !our nor al life, !ou so e extra support" 32e all &now what it feels li&e to %e down,3 sa!s 4rofessor /avid .ichards, professor of ental health services research at the 5niversit! of 6xeter" 3Most people who feel low will start to feel %etter after a few da!s or wee&s" 7ut if these feelings persist or get in the wa! of ever!da! life, it*s ti e to see& help"3 8f !ou*re still feeling down or anxious after a couple of wee&s, tal& to !our 94 or call N)- /irect on 0:45 4;4<" + 94 will %e a%le to discuss !our s! pto s with !ou and a&e a diagnosis" uch for !ou to cope with or are a&e so e changes and get a! need to

Seek help immediately

8f !ou start to feel li&e !our life isn*t worth living, get help straight awa!" 6ither see !our 94 or call N)/irect on 0:45 4;4<" =ou can also contact helplines, such as -a aritans on 0:45< >0 >0 >0, for confidential, non,'udge ental e otional support" 8f !ou*ve had depression or anxiet! in the past, even if the! weren*t for all! diagnosed, get help i ediatel!" =ou*re ore li&el! to have an episode of depression if !ou*ve had one %efore"

What type of help is a ailable?

Self!help
2hether !ou have depression or 'ust find !ourself feeling down for a while, it could %e worth tr!ing so e self,help techni?ues" )owever, if !our 94 has diagnosed depression, it is i portant that !ou also continue with !our prescri%ed treat ent" @ife changes, such as getting a regular good night*s sleep, &eeping to a health! diet, reducing !our alcohol inta&e and getting regular exercise, can %e effective in helping !ou feel healthier and relaxed" #his can often help people to feel ore in control and ore a%le to cope" ore

-elf,help techni?ues can include activities such as effective" .ead ore a%out self,help therapies"

editation, %reathing exercises and learning wa!s

to thin& a%out pro%le s differentl!" #ools such as self,help %oo&s and online counselling can %e ver!

8f !ou are diagnosed with depression, !our 94 will discuss all of the availa%le treat ent options with !ou, including antidepressants and tal&ing therapies"

"alking therapies
#here are an! t!pes of tal&ing therapies availa%le" /ifferent t!pes of tal&ing therapies suit certain ost &now if !ou

pro%le s, conditions and people %etter than others" #o help !ou decide which one would %e suita%le for !ou, tal& to !our 94 a%out the t!pes of tal&ing therap! on offer, and let the prefer a particular one" .ead #$%" #he 8 proving +ccess to 4s!chological #herapies 08+4#1 progra care trusts 04(#s1 are introducing the option of self,referral" #his see our counselling and ps!chological therapies director!" ore a%out the t!pes of tal&ing therap! availa%le"

e has %een introduced to help ore pri ar! eans that people who prefer not to

people in 6ngland access the therapies used to treat depression and anxiet!" More and

tal& to their 94 can go directl! to a professional therapist" #o find out what*s availa%le in !our area,

$ntidepressants
+ntidepressants are a t!pe of edication co onl! used to treat depression and other conditions"

#here are several t!pes availa%le, including --.8s 0selective serotonin reupta&e inhi%itors1, #(+s 0tric!clic antidepressants1 and M+A8s 0 onoa ine oxidase inhi%itors1" 8f !our 94 prescri%es !ou antidepressants, the! will explain the t!pe the! have chosen and wh! it suits !ou" .ead ore a%out antidepressants"