Depression
Low mood and sadness are normal human emotions – we all feel sad or low at times. Depression is diagnosed when these feelings last for long periods, become more severe, and affect our quality of life. When a person is experiencing depression, they may struggle to live the life they want.
1 in 16 people in Australia are affected by depression every year. The good news is that depression can be managed with the right resources and support.
Symptoms of low mood and depression
When we’re struggling with depression, we can feel very sad, empty, irritable, hopeless, lonely, and even ashamed or guilty that we’re having these emotions. Every day can be a struggle and we can feel like we are in a negative cycle or rut. But it’s important to know that depression is very common – around 1 million Australian adults experience it every year. The key to overcoming depression is to know what symptoms to look out for, so you can get help as soon as possible.
When we experience low mood or sadness, we are often affected by three types of symptoms; unhelpful thoughts, physical symptoms and unhelpful behaviours.
- Self-critical and negative thoughts about ourselves
- Feeling hopeless or helpless about ourselves or the future
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- Changes in sleep and appetite
- Reduced sexual interest
- Walking or moving more slowly
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Having poor attention and poor memory
- Becoming more irritable
- Avoiding people and places, including things we used to enjoy doing
- Not getting the same pleasure from our usual activities
