Depression

The term depression is often used by people to describe a sense of feeling down in the dumps or feeling fed up, but it is much more than this.

Depression is a disorder that persistently and intensely affects your thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical health on a daily basis. A person who has been diagnosed with depression would experience a combination of the following symptoms:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
• Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, excessive or inappropriate guilt
• Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety and emptiness
• Pervasive negative thoughts and feeling pessimistic
• Markedly diminished or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities including sex
• Marked loss of energy - feeling tired and fatigued
• Major sleep disturbances
• Significant increase or decrease in appetite nearly every day
• Significant increase or decrease in body weight
• Diminished concentration and ability to think and be decisive
• Feelings of irritability and restlessness
• Recurrent thoughts of death (not just thoughts of dying)

Causes of Depression

Major depressive disorder is likely to be caused by more than one factor. There will probably be a combination of influences including environmental and social, psychological, biological and genetic.

Some of the more common issues Alan works with are:-

Stress
Depression
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Bereavement
Relationship Issues

Alan also works with many other issues such as self harm, grief and bereavement, anger issues, abuse and sexual problems.

Please contact Alan if you have any questions or to book an appointment.