Low and/or Depressed

Depression can affect everyone in different ways. For some it can just be feeling upset or down for extended periods of time; for others it can be more extreme, leading to a complete loss of interest in life and impacting every aspect of day-to-day living.

Common symptoms of depression can include:

• Feeling down for much of the day, every day
• Feeling socially awkward or isolated
• Feeling helpless
• Feeling useless or inadequate
• A loss of confidence
• A loss of interest in sex
• Difficulties sleeping
• Difficulty getting out of bed

It is likely you feel depressed for more than one reason, but you can also start to feel down for no reason at all. The condition varies between individuals and causes tend to be very personal.

Some people start to feel depressed because of:

• Traumatic life events, such as losing a job or the end of a relationship
• Loss, either because of bereavement or a major life change
• Childhood experiences, particularly if you were abused physically or emotionally
• Physical conditions, such as conditions affecting the brain, hormonal problems, low blood sugar or sleep problems

Once you realise you are suffering from depression, it is important to seek help as quickly as possible. Our CBT courses will help you understand more about the condition, change things that you feel are making you depressed and begin to get you back to your previous activities as a way of bringing a sense of enjoyment back into your life.