Articles

• How do you know whether you or someone that you care about is suffering from Depression?
• What are the negative thoughts?
• What is the cause of depression?
• So how do you lift the heavy burden of depression from your shoulders?
• The GuysDomain Promise
• The Next Step...

The dictionary definition of depression is a condition of general emotional withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.

Depression is about everything slowing down, coming to a halt. Depression is about a life that is grinding; there is no oil between the wheels and simply living becomes terribly hard. Hence, making movements (to seek help) is very difficult.

By forcing yourself to reach out, or reaching out on someone else's behalf is vital. Letting people know, even though this is the hardest thing is part of the healing process. The antivenin to depression is movement. By coming to the GuysDomain website you have made the first step. Allow yourself to see that you are making a simple, positive step in your life... even if it doesn't feel that way.

How do you know whether you or someone that you care about is suffering from Depression?

If you or someone close is acting in one or more of the following ways it is possible that they may be suffering from depression:

• Withdrawing from the world: If you have been spending less time with family and friends and choosing to stay home, avoiding going to work or school, because it feels like you just can't cope you may be suffering from depression. Wanting to be left alone. Withdrawal from your normal social activities for extended periods is one of the strongest indicators of depression.
  
  
• Lost pleasure: If you no longer get pleasure from activities that you normally love, if you have stopped finding things humorous that you normally would you may be suffering from depression.
  
  
• Food: Loss of appetite and interest in food, sex and exercise are common symptoms of depression. At the same time eating too much or more than usual and using food to avoid feelings may also be an indicator.
  
  
• Sleep: Are you lying awake at night unable to get to sleep, waking in the middle of the night and finidng it hard to return to sleep or waking to early in th morning? Disturbed sleep can be a sign of depression but it can also exacerbate depression. (See article on "Sleep Hygiene".)
  
  
• Thinking: Obsessively thinking about a person, problem, or just being unable to let go of an idea, constantly thinking or worrying about the issue may also be a symptom of depression. This is known as rumination.
  
  Scattered thinking. Finding it difficult to concentrate on tasks. Feeling overwhelmed with tasks general slowness in thinking and being able to decide - even on small things, is also a common symptom of depression.
  
  
• Physical: People can often become acutely aware of their physical self during depression. For example, being aware of your every breath as if its constricted or tight, or noticing your heart beat as if its pounding, feeling like your body won't automatically take the next breath without you thinking about it, is scary, even terrifying. It makes you think you might die. This physical sense can be or turn into a panic attack. You may feel like you are having a heart attack, or can't stop racy thoughts, as if you are going crazy.
  
  
• Anxiety: It's important to know that anxiety and depression frequently go together, (known as co-morbidity). Don't be surprised if you have symptoms of both or oscillate between the two. This can be expected for some people. Also, if you suffer from anxiety alone, it is still important to treat because this can to some degree predict the onset of depression.
  
  

People suffering with depression commonly have constant negative thoughts running through their head:

It's all my fault, I'm worthless, I'm a failure, I'm not good enough and in the more extreme scenarios "life's not worth living". This inability to concentrate, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, helplessness and hopelessness, and thoughts of death - also called clinical depression, are all signs of depression through negative thinking. The hardest one to talk about is suicide. If you are having thoughts of suicide, such as making specific plans for it or even just wondering thoughts about it, then it is important to take stock and realise that whilst these kinds of thoughts aren't 'odd' to people, they do indicate a need to talk and assess what is happening right now. Thoughts like 'I'd be better off dead' or 'life would be easier if I was dead' suggest a despair that needs urgent attention.

Minor personal criticisms that make you feel extremely angry, deeply hurt or wounded or cause an uncontrollable outflow of emotions like crying are characteristic of depression.

Not caring about the outcomes of your actions, being reckless and taking risks is also one of the symptoms of depression. This could mean feeling a bit 'hyper' or manic at times. Driving erratically or excessive speeding, using drugs (illicit or prescribed) in a manner that puts you in danger or drinking too much and taking these actions as if you don't care, are all signs to you that changes need to be made.

If you are feeling unhappy, frustrated, sad, finding it difficult to make decisions and are overwhelmed by everyday life it is possible that you are suffering from depression. Physical symptoms of Constant tiredness, being almost literally unable to get out of bed in the morning or even if simply getting off the couch feels difficult, then depression may have set in. One client described emptying the dishwasher in the day as a major achievement. This indicates just how debilitating depression can be. But because there is nothing overtly wrong with you (i.e., going on the 'severed arm' theory), you may find the negative thinking overlays this physical and motivational difficulty and you begin to criticise yourself for being so hopeless! Of course, this is part of the negative thinking cycle that can etch depression deeper into you.

What is the cause of depression?

Depression is often related to loss. There may have been a triggering event, such as loss of a job, a dream, or a relationship that has brought on your depression. At GuysDomain you will find help understanding your depression and dealing with it in the most appropriate way to return to your natural self.

"The strongest predictor of major depression is still your life experience. There aren't genes that make you depressed. There are genes that make you vulnerable to depression."
- Kenneth Kendler, M.D. Professor of Psychitary and Genetics, Medical College of Virginia.

However, no one thing causes depression. There is no such thing as a 'depression gene'. It is not simply biological. It is not just about loss. Depression is a complex disorder because it is made up of many things, unique things to the individual.

The good news is you are not alone and depression is treatable. Depression is a common disorder (a state of unease), with the World Health Organisation (WHO - the international watchdog of medical illness) placing it as the fourth most significant cause of suffering and disability worldwide (behind heart disease, cancer and traffic accidents) but significantly that It will be the SECOND most debilitating human condition by the Year 2020.

So how do you lift the heavy burden of depression from your shoulders?

Step 1 - Medical Check Up and Advice

The symptoms described above are reasonably common place even though they don't feel normal to you. The first step should be seeking help from your General Medical Practitioner. The reason you should contact your doctor as the first step is to ensure there are no organic reasons for the physical symptoms you are having. That is, there is no physical ailment connected to any underlying physical illness which may be causing these symptoms.

Step 2 - Educate yourself on the subject of Depression

There is a plethora of information on the web, in libraries and at doctor's surgeries that can help you understand what depression is and what you are feeling.

Numerous studies and our own experience at GuysDomain, support our belief that Rewarding Relationships form the foundation for recovery; emotional healing, happiness and life satisfaction. Strong and positive relationships with partners, family, co-workers and friends prevent isolation and loneliness - the major factors in depressive illness and most importantly add meaning to our life. Everyone suffers from problems in life... and it is always people who help us get through it.

Depression feels bad. We see our relationships in a bad light. But, critically, we also see ourselves in a bad light.The good news is there are a number of proven techniques to improve self esteem and self confidence and the journey of rediscovering your very best self can be fulfilling and joyous - just imagine the wonderful feeling of falling in love with the person that matters most - you! A person that truly loves themselves can then share this love easily and positively with all those around them.

There are many steps an individual can take to help themselves:

• Social activities
• Moderate exercise
• Being closer to nature, spending time with pets / animals can all have a very positive effect not just for those suffering from depression but for everyone one of us. However sometimes this is just not enough.
• No matter how bad you feel now, there are things we all do when we feel good that contribute to continuing to feel good. Take note of what these are for you and do them!

However, sometimes this is just not enough.

Two websites we strongly recommend for further reading on depression are:
www.beyondblue.com and www.moodgym.com

There are a number of other steps where you need someone walking and working with you, to guide you through the steps and to be there. You need someone there to go through what Thomas Moor calls the Dark Night of the Soul.

Step 3 - Seek out professional psychological help - You don't have to do it by yourself

If your feelings have not improved after 2 weeks, and you relate to many of the symptoms of depression described above, when you feel that friends and family have had enough of you (after all you've probably had a gutful of feeling this way, so why wouldn't they?), a therapist can be there in a consistent, on-going partnership with you, to see you through to the other side.

GuysDomain runs One-on-One, Face-to-Face sessions to help a person feel re-connected with their inner-most feelings and thoughts. The feelings and thoughts that seem intolerable and unacceptable to others can be shared with a therapist to help you make sense of what's going on. It is vital to remember this FACT: feelings lift, moods change. You didn't always feel this way and doesn't have to be always like this.

As well as understanding and insight, it is important to get moving, to take action, to develop momentum that defuses the ideas that you are not capable, that you are not valued, that you 'can't'. The more action you take, the less evidence there is to support the depressive belief that you are not up to life.

GuysDomain also runs a three month support program based in Melbourne, Victoria, where clients attend two consecutive Saturdays (10.00-4.00) then continue to meet weekly with the group over three months. During this time there is education on understanding your own depression, knowing and understanding influencing factors such as triggering life-events and family of origin issues. There are also goals and tasks tailored for each individual and set in a way that is achievable to help provide on-going momentum combined with understanding support. This group is called 'Headway'.

GuysDomain Promise

My promise to you as both a health professional and as another human being is to do everything in my power to help you get through your depression and to minimize the pain and suffering. I will do everything I can to assist you to return to your life journey of meaning, joy and happiness.

Next Step...

You don't have to feel like this forever and you certainly don't have to go into battle alone. You do have to take responsibility for taking that next step, a movement towards health; it's your life and you owe it to yourself to take the next step to make the most of it. And know this: these bad feelings can change with help. It doesn't have to remain this way but you do have to do some things to help yourself. Do not suffer any longer call us 03 9534 1222 or fill in the form below.

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