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Depression: Everyone gets low - some people think of this as the mental health equivalent of the common cold. But for some people, low mood can be much more serious. It can paralyse a person's ability to get on with life - it can make them feel that there is no hope, and no point, in carrying on. As with many mental health problems there are a number of symptoms; it's very rare for all symptoms to occur in one person. Unsurprisingly, the symptoms of depression include feeling generally miserable, and in addition to this other symptoms are: Variation of mood over the day. It is often worse in the morning, and improves as the day goes on - but the pattern can be the other way around. Disturbed sleep, usually waking early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep. This is often because of all the negative thoughts that are racing through your head; A general slowing down of thought, speech and movement; Feelings of anxiety; Short temper; Lack of energy; Inability to enjoy things; Lack of concentration; Feeling that you are forgetful; Negative thoughts about the future; Feelings of guilt; Blaming self and low self-esteem; Feeling hopeless; Becoming pre-occupied with illness; Loss of appetite and as a result loss of weight Reduced desire for sex. It is important to remember that depression is not an absolute, it is not a case of either you are depressed or you are not. There is a progression from simply feeling blue, to the full clinical illness described in this list. Even then, not every symptom will occur. It is also important to remember that depression is treatable, and if you take the right steps, can be avoidable. Though we all suffer low moods, from 7% to 12% of men will suffer diagnosable depression in their lifetime. The figure is from 20% to 25% for women. There are many theories as to why the figure is higher for women. The incidence of post-natal depression certainly contributes to the higher number. Other theories include views on the position of women in society, and the difficulties they face in achieving life goals. It could also be that women may tend to be more honest about their emotions than men - and hence their depression is easier to detect. Monitoring your mood and thoughts is the starting point for managing this problem. Doing this with the help of a psychiatrist can help you develop the skill of spotting an episode of depression before it becomes too late. Using the “thought monitoring technique”, you can decide which thoughts represent a true view of what is going on around you - and which thoughts are probably unrealistic and created by your mood beginning to lower. You will not always spot every episode of depression before it happens. Those closest to you will often be able to recognise the early signs. Being able to talk to them about this problem is probably one of the most valuable strategies that you can have in dealing with this problem. What support is available? There's nothing like speaking to someone who has been through the experience and come out the other side or alternatively a psychiatrist who has many years experience with such cases. A listening ear is often the greatest help to a depressed person. The use of a technique called cognitive behavioural therapy is recommended; there is a growing body of evidence for the effectiveness of this approach. A professional is usually the best person to see about cognitive therapy (or to assess an alternative form of therapy). For some people, therapy alone may not be enough.There are now a number of anti-depressants (Psychotropic Medication) for psychiatrists to prescribe, which can be given in association with cognitive therapy. All the treatments listed above are carried out by privatepsychiatry.co.uk who have many years experience at dealing with such cases. 
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