Depression Help | Anxiety Therapy, Postnatal Depression Treatment | Seeking Help Identifying Symptoms | Counselling Psychotherapist South Eastern Suburbs Melbourne

Depression is one of the most common reasons that cause people to seek counselling and psychotherapy. However, the term 'Depression' does not convey a singular phenomenon, but rather it accounts for a variety of moods, some of which differ significantly from one another, both in their quality and severity. Depression can involve feelings of intense sadness and desolation, or can be experienced as an emotional "flatness" and emptiness. It can be felt as an acute and alarming experience, or as a numbing of the mind, body and spirit. The degree of depression can vary from mild to moderate or severe, and can last for a short or long period of time. Mild depression is a common experience that many people experience at some point. However, some cases of depression can become severe or chronic, and are much more debilitating.

Signs of depression
If you are depressed you may experience some or all of the following symptoms. Some people may experience most of the symptoms, while others will have just a few. The same person may experience different sets of symptoms at different times. The severity of the symptoms may also be different and may vary over time.

If you have such feelings and they persist for most of every day for two weeks or longer, and interfere with your ability to function at your daily activities, then you might benefit from counselling.

If you are thinking of hurting yourself, it is very important to seek immediate help! Call Life Line immediately! Note that when a person is at a risk of suicide, counselling is more effective when accompanied with the administration of antidepressant medications.

Postnatal depression

Depression associated with childbirth affects as much as 7 to 20 percent of new mothers. When less severe depressive moods and distress are taken into account, the statistics are considerably higher. It is now acknowledged that such depression often starts at any time from the early stages of pregnancy. Such antenatal depression, if goes untreated, is likely to evolve into a serious postnatal depression.

Traditionally society has portrayed pregnancy and childbirth as blissful and tranquil experiences with a natural expectation that the bonds between mother, child and father will “kick in” when the baby is born. The characteristic experiences of loss and confusion that co-exist with the joys of parenthood are absent from such romanticised views.

Against these prevailing myths, all too often women experience depressive moods, anxiety and helplessness during a period which is expected to be the happiest of their lives. Paradoxically, these expectations also contribute to the woman’s feelings of guilt and shame over her feelings and perceived “bad” motherhood, which propel her to silencing her feelings of pain and chaos. The mechanism is then set in place for a depressive vicious cycle to escalate.

If new motherhood is compounded with depression, the results are debilitating for the entire family, with serious short and long term cognitive, emotional and social ramifications for the child.

Depression associated with childbirth is not qualitatively or phenomenally different from other depressive moods or syndromes, but in the context of parenthood women tend to hide their depression in the hope that it will ‘ride itself out’, a tendency that all too often results in an under-treated and potentially serious condition.

The strongest predictors of post natal depression are: depression or anxiety during pregnancy; a moderate depressive mood known as ‘maternity blues’; lack of adequate social support; life events and stressors; past history of depression or anxiety. Additional predictors are: single motherhood; unsatisfactory marital relationship; socioeconomic status; unplanned pregnancy; miscarriages and abortions.

Women who experience depression often describe themselves as having few or all of the following:

Identifying such symptoms and seeking help can make a great difference for the mother and the future of her baby. Depression associated with childbirth has a good chance of recovery once acknowledged and treated. If it goes untreated, even the more benign (and highly prevalent) “Maternity blues” has the potential to develop into postnatal disorder at any time during the first years post partum. Interventions should be initiated as early as possible in the hope of preventing a further downward spiral.

Anxiety

Depression is very commonly accompanied by another mood state – anxiety. When depression is accompanied by anxiety, the anxiety tends to exacerbate the depressive symptoms and mood. It is also common for an initial anxiety disorder to develop into, and to be further complicated by, depression.

Anxiety disorders are the most common of emotional disorders. Anxiety differs from “normal” feelings of tenseness. It is a severe and ongoing tension that seriously interferes with the person’s daily functioning and quality of relating. People with generalized anxiety worry constantly and feel helpless to control these worries. Untreated anxiety can impel the person into avoiding situations that are perceived by him as triggering his anxiety, for example a person may be pushed by his anxiety to avoid engaging with or talking to people, leaving his house, looking for a job, or sitting an exam. He may have problems sleeping, muscle aches, and feel shaky and headachy. People with anxiety disorders can be irritable and often have problems concentrating and working effectively. They are likely to suffer from depression, and they also may abuse alcohol and other drugs in an effort to gain relief from their symptoms.

The many forms and symptoms of anxiety include:

A common type of Anxiety Disorder is Panic Disorder. The core symptom of panic disorder is the panic attack, an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress.

During a panic attack several of these symptoms occur in combination:

Anxiety disorders respond well to two types of treatment: psychotherapy and medications. Depending on the individual case, these treatments can be given alone or in combination.

Unfortunately, many people with anxiety disorders don’t seek help. They don’t realize that they suffer from a known condition that has effective treatments. Other people fear their family, friends or coworkers might criticize them if they get help. If you or someone you know have any of the above symptoms seek help with a mental health professional.