Depression
It is often said that depression is the common cold of our mental and emotional life, that is, we will all experience occasional bouts of it from time to time. Certainly everyone feels 'down' or 'blue' sometimes, and it is true that depression as an illness is being diagnosed far more often these days than ever before. Nevertheless, it's important to understand that just feeling a bit miserable for a day or two is not the same as suffering from depression. We also need to realise that we can be suffering from depression without feeling particularly miserable.
Symptoms
There are three kinds of symptoms associated with depression:
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Our thinking (cognitive): we are likely to brood about things, to be forgetful, and unable to concentrate or solve problems, and we might begin to wonder whether our life is worthwhile.
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Our mood (emotion): we might cry easily and feel very sad, feel listless and unable to enjoy our usual activities, and lose our sense of humour.
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Our behaviour (physiological): we can become restless and unable to sleep, or we might sleep too much, we might eat too much or not enough; as well, we might be impatient and grumpy, or we might hide away and not see anyone or even answer the phone.
If you are experiencing these symptoms for a prolonged period of time which is affecting your ability to study, your social life, and your relationships then you may be experiencing depression.
Importantly, depression is not a 'bad' thing, nor is it something to be ashamed of as a large percentage of the population experiences a bout of depression in their lifetime.
Come and speak to a counsellor at Student Services if you wish to talk about your experiences.
Online resources
Further information regarding depression is available at: