“At last I’ve begun enjoying my life again. It really can get better – believe me!”

London itself has been described as “the most stressed out and depressed city in Europe”, and there is currently a higher percentage of people seeking depression treatment in London than any other capital in the EU.

So what are we to make of this? Indeed, what exactly IS depression, and how do we approach the all-important subject of depression treatment in London and elsewhere?

What is depression?

We often say ‘I feel depressed’ when we experience sadness or a low mood, but depression is more complicated than simply feeling miserable. Most of the time, these feelings are just temporary, and will pass after a while. But when they seem to worsen, or last for days and then perhaps into weeks without relief, or if they keep returning and then begin to affect your normal everyday life, then you may be experiencing something closer to ‘clinical’ depression.

All too often, we neglect these symptoms for very long periods before seeking treatment. Many people simply refuse to ‘give in’ and continue to struggle in the hope that things will ‘just get better on their own’. Others may believe that depression is some kind of ‘weakness’ and won’t accept that they need help to overcome it in the same way that they would seek treatment for any other condition.

While it is true that there are indeed many ways that you can help yourself to deal with depression, it is often much easier and more effective to seek treatment as early on as possible when it has first begun to be clear that there is a problem.

The following check list can be useful in identifying whether or not you are suffering from depression. These are all common symptoms, and if you have five or more, it could be time to consider seeking treatment:

How I Feel:

  • I am in a low mood for a lot of the time, every day
  • I feel full of despair
  • I become tearful easily
  • I get restless and agitated
  • I feel cut off and unable to relate to other people
  • I am much more irritable or impatient than usual
  • I find little pleasure the things I should usually enjoy
  • I have lost interest in sex
  • I feel as though things are ‘unreal’
  • I have a feeling of helplessness

How I’m Behaving:

  • I’m avoiding friends and social events.
  • I’m not doing the things I usually enjoy
  • I’m self-harming
  • I find it difficult to speak about it
  • I don’t want to ask for help

How I’m Thinking:

  • My memory is poor
  • It is difficult to concentrate or make decisions
  • I’m feeling guilty about things
  • I’m constantly thinking negative thoughts
  • My self-confidence and self-esteem is very low
  • Life has no meaning
  • I don’t think I will ever feel normal again
  • I have been thinking I would be better off dead

What’s happening in my body:

  • I have no energy
  • I sometimes just can’t get to sleep
  • I want to sleep a lot more than usual
  • I feel tired all the time
  • I am eating a lot more than usual and putting on weight
  • I have lost my appetite, and am losing weight
  • I feel as though I’m moving slowly
  • I have physical aches and pains but no ‘real’ illness
  • I am smoking or drinking more, or using other drugs

*Depression Treatment

It is always advisable to consult with your GP in cases of clinical depression. You may be offered various forms of treatment, including drug therapy if appropriate, and depending on the resources available, a course of CBT Therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) may be offered to you. Depression often responds well to CBT Therapy, and Hypnotherapy can work well on its own or alongside CBT Therapy in helping to develop an all-important ability to relax. Mindfulness is also key intervention and is often recommended in the prevention and treatment of depression and associated anxiety.

Self-help is a important component of any depression treatment, and there are many things you can do to speed up your recovery and to make your treatment even more effective. Learning to take an active role in your own wellbeing can be vital in recovery, and the Hypnowellness depression treatment focuses on this as a central part of any depression treatment programme.

What to do next

If you feel you are suffering from depression or depression-like symptoms, or if you would like to discuss how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Hypnotherapy and Mindfulness may help with treatment, call me now FREE on 0800 246 1838 or just use the contact form on this page.

I see many people who suffer from depression or “low mood” in all my practice locations throughout London and Herts. These include the City of London; Highgate in North London; Radlett and South Woodford in East London, so hopefully there will be somewhere close enough to be convenient for you to visit.

According to the World Health Organisation (www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/en/) depression has now become one of leading causes of disability throughout the world. Currently there are in the region of 121 million people across the world suffering from the extremely debilitating symptoms of this all-pervasive condition. And apparently numbers are set to increase even further, so by 2020, it is likely that depression will rank second only to heart disease in terms of individual sufferers.

Remember, the earlier the treatment is undertaken, the better the outcome is likely to be. So don’t suffer needlessly, call me FREE now on my direct line: 0800 246 1838 or just use the contact form on this page. An initial phone consultation will be provided without charge and can often be arranged at short notice.

 

*Disclaimer: As is common in therapy, results may vary from individual to individual and no specific outcome can be promised or guaranteed. Your therapist will however, endeavour to accomplish the objective of your sessions to the best of his ability.