Introduction
Many people feel depressed at some time or another in their lives, and these feelings usually involve sadness, unhappiness, hopelessness or general feelings of despair. When these feelings remain for extended periods of time, they can be symptoms of clinical depression, a mood disorder where feelings of anger, loss, frustration and sadness dominate and interfere with everyday life.
Depression appears to be more common in women than men, however it is not clear whether this is because the prevalence of depression is higher in the female population, or because women are more likely to seek help. Depression is an extremely common condition. It affects around 1 in 20 Australians and occurs most often in adolescence. Commonly, people with depression experience persistent sadness, feelings of worthlessness and an overall loss of interest or enjoyment in life. People can also suffer from physical symptoms of depression such as headaches, blurred vision and constipation.
Depression is usually triggered by a stressful or traumatic life event such as the death of a loved one or battling chronic illness. Treatment depends on the severity of the condition, but usually involves a combination of medication and therapy. Healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent depression, and can also reduce the likelihood of depressive episodes returning. These habits include eating a well balanced diet, sleeping adequately, exercising regularly, learning to relax, drinking alcohol responsibly and not using illicit drugs. Finding healthy ways to deal with stress, such as counselling or just talking about how you are feeling, can also help to reduce the risk of becoming depressed.