Depression
Depression is not a single condition, but an ‘umbrella term’ for several different types of depressive disorder. The 2007 National Survey of the mental health of Australians discovered that 6.2% of Australians over the age of 16 had suffered from some form of depressive illness in the preceding 12 months. The computer program used to analyse the data also highlighted that 15% of Australians are likely to suffer from a depressive disorder at some time in their lives.
We all experience times when we feel ‘down’, sad or disappointed. However, depression is much more intense, long lasting and all pervasive. The symptoms are distressing to the person affected and can have serious effects on day-to-day living, career and family relationships.
At Your Health Hub, we can provide effective psychological treatments for depression. These range from specialised forms of psychological intervention to more general, supportive counselling. Our multi-disciplinary team means that we can provide all the help that a client with depression needs. Other team members such as dietitians, nutritionists and exercise physiologists may all form part of a treatment plan as both exercise and diet can be important in the success of treatment for depression.
Do not let depression be the ‘Black Dog’ in your life. If low mood has persisted for more than two weeks and is affecting your home life, work or relationships, it is time to consider getting the right help. Take action today – and call Your Health Hub on 03 6122 0150 to book an appointment and find out the treatment options and alternatives our team can offer you.
The Causes of Depression
There is no single cause for depression. For most people, a stressful life event such as bereavement or redundancy, or a physical health problem such as the diagnosis of a degenerative disease can be the trigger. For some people, there is no obvious reason why depression has struck.
Women are at an increased risk of developing depression both during their pregnancy (prenatal) and in the year following the baby’s birth (postnatal). The causes can be complex and may be related to hormonal changes. While many women experience ‘baby blues’ or stress during pregnancy and when coping with a new baby, depression is more serious, longer-lasting and affects the mother and her relationship with her baby, her partner and with other family members.
The Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Common symptoms noted by our clients with depression, include feeling sad, empty and with low mood most of the time and having lost interest in previously enjoyed activities such as socialising, sports, interests and hobbies and a number of other symptoms from a list including (but not confined to):
- Feeling worthless, hopeless or helpless
- Feeling tired, sluggish and lacking in energy
- Having changes in appetite
- Gaining or losing weight without dieting
- Finding it hard to get to sleep or stay asleep or sleeping too
- Difficulty in concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Loss of Libido
- Suicidal thoughts
How Your Health Hub Can Help
Clients visiting one of our team of Clinical Psychologists for the first time are asked about their thoughts and feelings. Questionnaires may help in gathering more information. This is a partnership between client and Psychologist to enable an understanding of the causes and the type of depressive disorder experienced. This enables the Psychologist to decide on which type of therapy or psychological strategy will be most helpful for the individual client.
There are around one million adult Australians suffering from depression in any one year. Many of them do not seek help for their problems. Our holistic approach may include a number of team members such as Dietitians, Nutritionists, Exercise Physiologists, Osteopaths, Occupational Therapists and classes such as Yoga. This enables us to address the current issues and symptoms of pre- and post-natal depression and other types of depressive disorder and to reduce any likelihood of a recurrence of episodes of depression in the future.