Depression is more than just sadness, but is a persistent low mood that affects many areas of our life. People often notice that they have begun withdrawing from friends, losing their usual energy, and starting to experience negative thoughts about themself.

Depression can look different for everyone, but below we have listed some common signs you may be feeling depressed.

• feeling unhappy, numb, empty, moody or irritable/snappy for more than two weeks

• less interest in things that used to be enjoyable

• feeling worthless or guilty a lot of the time

• feeling like everything is becoming ‘too hard’ and not being as productive as usual

• negative thoughts about themselves, the world and the future

• having a hard time concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things

• having thoughts of self harm or suicide

• changes in quality of sleep and appetite

• using alcohol and/or other drugs to cope

When feeling depressed, it is common to think that things can never get better and there is ‘no point’, but the good news is that there are treatments that work for depression to provide relief from that down feeling, and strategies to get your energy and life back again. If you have been feeling depressed for more than two weeks, now is the time to reach out for support. We take a CBT and Schema Therapy approach to managing symptoms of depression. Many people experience depression alongside other mental health concerns and our friendly team are equipped to manage all of these during your sessions.

Get in touch with our friendly team and Brisbane psychologist to discuss taking the first steps to getting treatment for depression.