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Understanding Depression

What makes a person more at risk of Depression? 

Some events or situations that have been linked with depression:
  • Family conflict
  • Isolation or loneliness
  • Unemployment
  • Having a serious medical illness
  • Drug and alcohol use
  • Brain and chemical changes
  • Having a family member with depression
  • Change negative thoughts and feelings
  • Encourage the person to get involved in activities
  • Speed the person's recover
  • Prevent depression from recurring
  • Identify ways to manage the illness and stay well.
  • Spending time talking about their experiences
  • Indicating that you've noticed a change in their behaviour
  • Letting them know you're there to listen without being judgmental
  • Suggesting they see a doctor or health professional
  • Assisting them to make an appointment with a doctor or health professional
  • Going with the person to the doctor or health professional
  • Asking how their appointment went
  • Talking openly about depression
  • Encouraging them to become involved in social activities
  • Encouraging them to exercise and eat well
  • Providing a change of scenery occasionally
  • Maintaining contact
  • Encouraging other close friends and family to adopt a similar, inclusive approach
  • Put pressure on them by telling them to 'snap out of it' or 'get their act together'
  • Stay away or avoid them
  • Tell them they just need to stay busy or get out more
  • Pressure them to party more or wipe out how they're feeling with drugs and alcohol.

It's important to remember that each person is different and it is often a combination of factors that puts a person at risk of depression.

How common is Depression?

Very common. Around one million Australian adults and 100,000 young people live with depression in their lives; one in four females and one is six males.

What are the treatments for Depression?

Depression is often not recognized or treated.

Different types of depression require different types of treatments. This may include physical exercise for preventing and treating mild depression, though to psychological and drug treatments for more severe levels of depression.

Psychological Treatments

Psychological treatments deal with problems that particularly affect people with depression, such as changing negative thought patterns of thinking or sorting out relationship difficulties.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) helps to correct negative thought patterns. CBT is a structured program which recognises that the way people think affects the way they feel.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a structured program with a specific focus on improving relationships.
Psychological treatments can help to:

  • Change negative thoughts and feelings
  • Encourage the person to get involved in activities
  • Speed the person's recover
  • Prevent depression from recurring
  • Identify ways to manage the illness and stay well.

Medications

People who are depressed often feel physically unwell.
Anti depression drug treatments relieve the physical symptoms of depression.
Drug treatments for depression are not addictive.
Many people worry about the potential side-effects of antidepressant medication. It's important to know that when depression isn't treated effectively. physical health often gets worse.

The most important thing is to find a treatment that works

Many things that people try don't treat the cause of illness. For example, sleeping tablets or simple counseling are ineffective, even though they may provide temporary relief.

There is a range of treatments that are proven to work. Each person needs to find the treatment that's right for them.

You can help someone by:


  • Spending time talking about their experiences
  • Indicating that you've noticed a change in their behavior
  • Letting them know you're there to listen without being judgmental
  • Suggesting they see a doctor or health professional
  • Assisting them to make an appointment with a doctor or health professional
  • Going with the person to the doctor or health professional
  • Asking how their appointment went
  • Talking openly about depression
  • Encouraging them to become involved in social activities
  • Encouraging them to exercise and eat well
  • Providing a change of scenery occasionally
  • Maintaining contact
  • Encouraging other close friends and family to adopt a similar, inclusive approach

It would be unhelpful to:


  • Put pressure on them by telling them to 'snap out of it' or 'get their act together'
  • Stay away or avoid them
  • Tell them they just need to stay busy or get out more
  • Pressure them to party more or wipe out how they're feeling with drugs and alcohol.

If you or someone you know needs help, talk to your family doctor or another health professional about getting appropriate treatment.

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