Living With Depression
Living with depression is heavily stigmatised. Depression can affect anyone at any time, and doesn’t require a specific trigger like a death, a breakup, or losing your job. You can even have depression without feeling sad. You may instead feel “nothing”, or feel “empty”. Depression may cause someone to lose interest in the things they usually love. It can impact appetite and body weight, sleep patterns, and even how fast you talk. People who live with depression are doing the best they can. They are not lazy, and they are not antisocial.
Treatment for depression ranges massively depending on the person, the doctor, and access to healthcare. Therapy is often the first line of treatment in depression. It helps patients to address any potential triggers, or it can be used to gradually change thought patterns in response to depressive thoughts. Antidepressants can be a useful tool for some people, helping them balance their brain chemistry, alongside therapy.
Below, I have shared some of my own videos on living with depression. Unfortunately, a lot of the videos I have made about depression and mental health are Christmas related as part of Vlogmas and Vlogtide. There are also some general resources below. Nothing shared is meant to be used as a diagnostic tool or medical advice.
Depression Isn’t Just About Feeling Sad
“Feeling blue” has dominated the stereotypes of people living with depression. Other symptoms don’t get nearly enough attention. Reduced appetite, talking speed, sleepiness, sleeplessness, and apathy are subtle, and often hide under the radar. Here, I talk about how depression affects me, personally.
Christmas Is Not An Antidepressant
Unfortunately, Christmas and other typically joyous occasions are NOT antidepressants. They’re not a miracle cure. But they ARE laced with expectation of unbridled joy and happiness. Depression is like any other illness, it doesn’t go away just because you want it to- whether you’re the patient or the peers.
Useful Websites
Samaritans UK
Samaritans provides useful resources for those living with mental health conditions, including depression. They offer a free support line for anyone to use, whether diagnosed, in a mental health crisis, or supporting someone they love.
NHS Overview
If you’re living with depression in the UK, you can access support for depression via the NHS. They have multiple treatment pathways that can be tailored to each person. It’s important to share your mental health concerns with a GP.
Mind: Depression
Mind is a prominent mental health charity in the UK, offering support for a wide variety of mental health conditions. This overview contains video resources, and offers further information on different aspects of depression.
Max Fisher RSci 