Sad / Down

While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some people experience these feelings intensely, for long periods of time (weeks, months or even years) and sometimes without any apparent reason. Depression is more than just a low mood – it’s a serious illness that has an impact on both physical and mental health.Depression ranges from mild to severe, and while there are many possible causes, it’s hard to know if it happens as the result of life events (such as traumatic events or losing someone close to you), biological factors (like an imbalance in certain chemicals in the brain), both, or something else entirely. Everyone who suffers from depression will experience it differently, but there are some common signs and symptoms.

It’s also common for people to feel:

• Extreme fear or worry (about past, or future things)
• Like their mind is racing and they can’t think straight
• Like they can’t concentrate on or remember things
• Impatient, like things are too slow
• On edge, like something is about to happen, or nervous
• Like they can’t sleep or are sleeping badly (sometimes really weird dreams)

Physical signs sometimes include:

• Heart pounding, tight chest or chest pain, or blushing or feeling hot
• Fast, shallow breathing – feeling short of breath
• Dizzy, headache, sweaty, tingly, numb
• Harder to swallow, dry mouth, stomach pain

You may experience just a few of these, or many more than that – it’s different for everyone.

Both women and men may notice uncontrollable sadness, low energy, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, reduced desire for sex, crying episodes, anxiety and irritability during pregnancy or in the period between two weeks and a month after having a child. This phenomenon is common and is known as postnatal depression. If you are pregnant or have just had a baby and have noticed similar symptoms, it is important to see a General Practitioner immediately to find out ways to get the support you need.