Depression

Everyone feels sad, moody or low from time to time. Depression, however, is a serious mental health issue where sadness, flat or low mood, or a sense of ‘emptiness’ is prolonged – lasting weeks, months and sometimes years.

Depression isn’t just about ‘feeling down’. It presents with a number of other symptoms and interferes with daily life and relationships. Depression is also relatively common, and usually responds well to treatment. 

A person may be depressed if, over a certain length of time, they have experienced either (or both) of the following:

These symptoms may include changes to their appetite and sleep, lethargy, worry and negativing thinking patterns. For a diagnosis of depression, a psychologist will look for a range of symptoms that may impact on a person’s daily life.

Depression is a common reason for people to seek help from mental health professionals, and research suggests that there are a number of effective psychological treatments available.

The most effective psychological treatments for depression are cognitive behavioural therapy, problem-solving therapy, behavioural activation and interpersonal psychotherapy.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy has also been shown to be effective in preventing future periods of depression in those people who have previously experienced depression.

If you are experiencing feelings of sadness or loss of pleasure in activities or think you might be depressed, our Psychologists are trained and qualified professionals skilled in helping people with a range of mental health and wellbeing concerns, including depression.

Reference ~ Australian Psychological Society (2024)