How to reduce stress with progressive muscle relaxation
A simple but effective technique to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
Read moreDepression is an intense feeling of sadness or low mood that lasts for a long time, sometimes weeks, months or years. If you are depressed, it can start to interfere with your personal and work life, your wellbeing, and your physical health. Find out more about the symptoms of depression and how you can get help.
Depression is more than just feeling sad or blue from time to time. Depression is an intense feeling of sadness or low mood that lasts for a long time, sometimes weeks, months, or years. If you are depressed, it can start to interfere with the daily activities in your life. Depression can impact how you think, feel, and behave.
In addition to persistent feelings of sadness, if you are depressed, you may also feel hopelessness and lose interest in activities you once enjoyed. When you feel depressed, you can also have physical symptoms such as tiredness, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, and difficulty concentrating. Around one in seven Australians will experience depression in their lifetime. [1]
“You can get help for depression.”
If your mood has been low for over two weeks, you can seek help. Speak with a SuicideLine Victoria counsellor for free by calling 1300 651 251. You do not need a referral.
Everyone is different, but there are some common signs and symptoms of depression that you may be experiencing:
Depression is complex and can be caused by a variety of factors. While the exact cause of depression is not fully understood, research has identified several contributing factors that may increase a person’s risk of developing depression.
These factors include family history, life events, physical health, and brain chemistry. Read more about the causes of depression.
What are the common causes of depression?
Depression and anxiety are common mental health conditions, but they are different. Depression is characterised by intense and persistent feelings of sadness and low mood. Whereas anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear or unease that is long-lasting and starts to interfere with a person’s daily life and activities.
It is possible to have both depression and anxiety at the same time. Sometimes anxiety may be a symptom of depression, or an anxiety disorder can cause depression. Both can be treated at the same time.
Treatment for depression is very common, and there are health professionals who can help you:
In addition to reaching out to a health professional, the Australian Psychological Society suggests the following tips to help improve your mood if you are feeling depressed: [2]
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression, please seek help. Depression is treatable, and you don’t have to go it alone.
SuicideLine Victoria provides immediate support for anyone feeling depressed. In addition, we can provide ongoing support with up to four telephone counselling sessions or online counselling.
Call us on 1300 651 251 or you can click on the floating chat button on the right to start a web chat.
If it is an emergency, please call 000.
[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 4326.0, 2007. ABS: Canberra.
[2] Australian Psychological Society https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/depression/tips-to-improve-your-mood
A simple but effective technique to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
Read moreAchieving a meaningful work-life balance is essential for our mental health. Without clear boundaries and healthy habits, work-related stress can significantly affect our wellbeing. So, how do we proactively reduce the risk and set ourselves up for success?
Read moreAnger is a completely normal emotion to experience, but when does anger start to become a problem?
Read moreWe may all feel sad or in a down mood at some time in our life, but when you have depression, these feelings last for a long time and can be quite intense. There usually isn’t one single event or factor that can cause depression, but rather a combination of several factors. Here we look at key these factors that can lead to depression.
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