 Who
gets depressed?
Any person young or old, male or female can become depressed.
Depression is increasing in all age groups, but particularly
in the younger teenage group and it is estimated to
be around 42% common amongst children that have grown
up with a parent that is depressed. Females tend to
experience depression twice as frequently as males.
This can be down to them finding it difficult to go
out and socialise, especially if they are looking after
children and feel more ‘trapped’ in the home environment.
Menopause, weight gain, hypertension, marriage problems
are all possible negative attributes in their lives.
Men tend to experience depression with job loss, not
being promoted, arguments at home, getting older and
perhaps with health problems. They frequently do not
seek therapy or go to their Doctor. It is easier for
them however to go out with their friends, socialise
and drink more alcohol – which can suppress their underlying
anxieties and depression (but of course cause more long
term health problems)
Children can be misdiagnosed as having a behavioural,
a learning disability. Certainly being bullied at school
can cause depression.
Depression in the elderly, where children have left home
whom they no longer see believe that their life is over,
or have some illness or disease, which again may be undiagnosed.
Clinical depression really refers to someone that is depressed
and has some form of physical illness that is causing
the depression. However it seems that many professionals
now refer to depression as ‘clinical’.
Depression - why?
There have been many misconceived ideas about depressed
people that they are weak, or just feel sorry for themselves.
They are told to “snap out of it” or “there are people
worse off than you”. This clearly is not an answer, and
often makes the person feel guilty – or worse about their
condition.
Day to day living has become more stressful for many people,
changes in society, a higher divorce / separation rate
and the general break up of families, job insecurity,
being too fat or too thin. Those who do not perceive themselves
as successful, even with nice car, house, or family –
and millionaires can be depressed.
In the younger category, pressures on children to do better
at school, with the now increasing vast array of subjects
can lead to despair and frustration, that may cause anxiety,
helplessness or hopelessness.
Of course, not everyone who experiences these problems
or stresses becomes depressed. However, there are numerous
amounts of people, thought to be 50% go untreated, because
either they don’t know they are depressed, or a consultation
with their Health Practitioner fails to diagnose depression.
Symptoms of depression
Symptoms in five of the following – and for at least two
weeks or more show a major depressive illness: • Sadness,
feeling ‘down’ or ‘blue’
• Negative thoughts or feelings
• Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless
• Inappropriate guilt
• Pessimistic about the future
• Inability to obtain pleasure, social, sexual
• Decreased energy, fatigue
• Memory loss or no concentration
• Difficulty in making decisions
• Agitation
• Irritable or restless
• Sleep problems, cannot get to sleep, wake up and cannot
get back to sleep, wake up early
• Sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite Over eating
• Suicidal ideology
The Alexander Practice in Derby
The Alexander Practice provides effective therapy for
depression, clinical depression, ante-natal and post-natal
depression. A combination of Hypnotherapy and Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is used, which is effective
for emotional states of the mind and psychosomatic problems.
The number of sessions required (usually 6 – 9) will
be discussed during the (free) consultation.
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