Depression

More Than Feeling Sad

Everyone experiences periods of low mood - it’s a natural response to life’s difficulties. But depression is something different. It’s a persistent heaviness that drains your energy, steals your motivation, and makes even the simplest tasks feel insurmountable.

What Depression Can Feel Like

Depression affects the whole person - mind, body, and behaviour:

Emotional changes: A pervasive sense of sadness, emptiness, or numbness. Feeling disconnected from things you once enjoyed. Hopelessness about the future.

Physical symptoms: Exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. Changes in appetite - eating far more or far less than usual. Difficulty sleeping, or wanting to sleep all the time.

Cognitive effects: Trouble concentrating or making decisions. Negative thoughts about yourself, the world, and what’s ahead. For some, thoughts that life isn’t worth living.

Behavioural shifts: Withdrawing from friends and activities. Struggling to keep up with work or daily responsibilities. Neglecting self-care.

Understanding Your Depression

Depression rarely appears from nowhere. It often develops through a combination of factors - genetic vulnerability, difficult life experiences, chronic stress, significant losses, or major life transitions. Sometimes there’s an obvious trigger; other times, it creeps in gradually without clear explanation.

Whatever the cause, depression is not a character flaw or a sign of weakness. It’s a recognisable condition that responds to treatment.

How We Can Help

Our Clinical Psychologists offer evidence-based approaches tailored to your particular experience:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps identify and shift the negative thinking patterns that maintain depression
• Behavioural Activation focuses on gradually rebuilding engagement with meaningful activities
• Compassion-Focused Therapy addresses the harsh self-criticism that often accompanies depression
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you reconnect with what matters most to you
• Schema Therapy explores deeper patterns when depression keeps returning

We also work alongside GPs and psychiatrists when medication might be helpful as part of your treatment plan.

There Is a Way Through

Depression can make it hard to believe that things could ever feel different. But with the right support, recovery is possible. Many people find that therapy not only helps lift the depression but also gives them tools and insights that serve them well for years to come.

Contact us to take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.

Related Reading

• An Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy - A therapy designed to help with self-criticism
• The Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health - How sleep impacts mood and wellbeing
• The Link Between Exercise and Mental Health - Physical activity and depression