Depression
By simple definition, depression is a mental illness. But it is a dangerous mental disorder that can lead to suicide. So be careful, because depression can kill you.
People reaching out for mental health advice for adults spiked sharply during the COVID-19 period.
Depression is a mental condition so it cannot be detected by a brain scan, and 10% of the population at one time in their life suffered from depression.
Depression is hard to detect because, for most people, it is something that creeps upon them. So it's normal to hear depression you ask, "Do I have depression?" Because it is possible to have depression and not know it. If you want to find out, ask a friend to check from the list below if you have it. Reading this, you may find it that you show some, or even all of the signs.
17 Signs you have Depression
Tired / Chronic fatigue / Burned Out
Want to be alone / Avoiding socialising even with friends.
Can’t focus / Memory problems / Head feeling heavy / Headaches
Loss of Appetite / Not eating regularly or very little / Food has no taste
Helpless / Feeling alone and empty / Sad and hopeless.
Insomnia / Poor Sleep / Wake up tired
Mood Swings / Irritated easily / Temperamental
Breakdowns and Cry / Overwhelmed.
Shame / Embarrased / Gulit
Self-blame / Anger / Regret
Trauma / PTSD
Over-thinking / Worrying of the worst
No motivation / Procrastinating
Heavy heart / Pain in the chest
Feel worthless / Low self-esteem
Self-doubt / Low self-confidence / Feel like you are failing
Negative and Suicidal Thoughts
Click Here for Teenage Depression
Saiful: Depression and Work Burnout
Life challenges can sometimes diminish our energy and motivation for work. And life can feel like a constant burnout lasting months. But there is hope. Here is Saiful sharing how he overcame months of depression and got his motivation back in just 5 sessions with Stress.SG.
Karen: Panic Attacks and Work Stress
Her panic attacks first started on a plane to Melbourne two years ago. Little did she know the panic attacks would continue for 2 another years. Triggered recently again due to events at work, the panic attacks became unbearable. This is Karen, a young working professional who overcame years of anxiety, panic attacks and sleep issues in just 5 sessions with Stress.SG.
11 Common triggers for Depression
Work related stress from heavy workloads, tight deadlines, uncertainties at work
Health worries
Difficult boss who makes us feel scared to go to work
Toxic work environment
Relationship problems with our spouse or partner
Burden of ageing parents or in-laws that are just plain toxic
Worry about our children’s health and how they are performing in school
Job insecurity as we are not doing well in our job and worry about the future
Death of someone
Trauma from being bullied, physically abused or molested
A bad breakup with our partner and feel pain, lost, disappointment and regrets.
How to cope with Depression
In our search to stop depression, coping through distraction is the first line of defence.
Social Media Constantly glued to the phone. Scanning pages somehow makes you feel more at ease.
Gaming It helps you forget your troubles
Netflix or YouTube Watching hours and hours to de-stress after a long day
Alcohol Drinking to forget
Drugs Escaping from world
Over-eating Food gives you a sense of comfort
As your depression moves to the next level, you reach chronic depression and begin to realise that coping with depression doesn't work.
Depression counselling and therapy from the right counsellor can stop depression for many people. You should look for a trusted counsellor in Singapore.
Is Depression Genetic?
Could depression be genetic? Did I inherit this from my parents or does it happen for no reason? The answer is no. From our experience, clients whose parents have anxiety and depression succeeded in stopping depression and lifting their mood to healthy levels.
Depression can be crippling, especially when you have major depression, so going to see a counsellor specialising in depression rather than a doctor might give you the answer. Studies show that depression is commonly linked to sadness or grief, but it also be caused by anxiety, stress and poor sleep.
It may not surprise you that many Singapore students quietly suffer in silence afraid of the social stigma. Who knew that depression can be sparked by a change in hormones and the mood swings during adolescence can happen to teenagers. Friends might joke about depression but it is a leading cause of death for teenagers.
And who knew pregnancy can cause depression? Postnatal depression affects some women and can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. The mother may not care about her and the baby's wellbeing. Doing pregnancy she might have have no appetite and not eat enough food. This can retard the growth of the child mentally and physically.
You don't need to feel lonely, because you are not alone. Depression is a mental illness that can be treated and with the Right therapy, and you can overcome it.
Getting Medicated
Unfortunately no medication cures depression. Most drugs aim to just reduce the negative feelings of depression and make depression more bearable. Even though you dislike feeling like a zombie while on medication, for some people with severe depression, it helps them to improve their mood so that they can seek hep through counsellig.
If you have been to a polyclinic or the IMH (Institute of Mental Health) and have seen the psychiatrist and you are on medication, it's best that you follow their instructions. Even though you are seeking alternative treatment.
Going to the depression clinic to get prescription drugs is not something many look forward to, because for many, there are side effects to depression medicine. A recent UK government study found anti-depressants are strongly linked to high rates of teenage suicides worry parents.
When seeking any depression therapy, it is important to ask the question? Does this therapy stop my depression and does is reduce the chance of it from coming back?
When considering therapy, you should consider the relapse rate of depression. Because what's the point of a remedy for depression when the recovery is not long term? The Right type of depression therapy not only lifts the depression but teaches you the skills to be resilient to future depression.
How to help someone with Depression
What to do when someone you know has depression? The best helpline is to spot the early signs of depression.
Early Signs of Depression. The person is withdrawn, more anti-social and introverted. Not taking care of their health and appearance. Not eating well. Sleeping a lot but always looking tired and stressed. Always overthinking. Instead of sending them to a support group, you can take them to seek help with a professional.
Depression Counselling and Therapy can help them lift their depression. But left untreated, a person become unable to work and lose their job because of high sick leave and MC rates and become unemployed.
There are many uplifting quotes for depression that you can send to your friend, but the real hope lies in taking action and help them with therapy.
50 years ago, many Singaporeans didn’t know there was a treatment for depression and there were no help hotlines. But today, with the right depression and counselling therapy, people suffering from depression can overcome them and able to work and lead normal lives.
You may have asked someone you love that they need help but they said “No.” What next?
Keep trying. When it comes to depression, there is a repeated cycle where the person will be not open to help but there will be times when they are actively searching for a solution and willing to get help.
We are desperate to find a way to help them. Sometimes, we can’t pinpoint the caused the reasons could be some form of trauma in the past. The best way to help is what you are doing right now, finding the right counselor for your loved one. And as you decide on the right counselor, start encouraging them to agree to counseling. Get them feeling confident they too can succeed by reading the latest client reviews or video testimonials. Keep encouraging them to get help. After some time, they might agree.
High Success Rates
Clients succeed every week. Anxiety and depression can be overcome with the right therapy. Make an appointment. Take the first step to finally feeling better.
Suicidal thoughts should be taken seriously
Alarm bells should ring when you notice them voicing out that life is meaningless. What is the point life? You should inform their family members and friends and everyone should encourage them to seek professional help quickly. Self-harm can lead to suicide.
Counseling vs Medication
In Singapore, the majority of depressed people were first introduced to medication by their doctors. But very quickly, you realise the medication gives you a bad headache, insomnia and anxiety. Instead of medication, Counseling is a safer first option with no health risks and it can produce better and more lasting results. If counselling works, then medication may not be required.
Public hospitals like IMH vs private practices
Due to COVID-19, cases of depression is on the rise and the waiting period to see the doctor and interval between appointments at the IMH appointments can be too long for many people feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and can’t sleep. This restless, irritable feeling can spiral deeper into depression. There is hope, there are other options with private counsellors.
A tailored program for Adults
At Stress.SG we have a program specific to the unique challenges of adults. We understand that you feel desperate to get help and you can’t take it anymore and thinking of ways to end it all. But have hope. With the right therapy and counsellor, depression can be overcome and you can feel better, sleep better and the negative thoughts can go away.
From experience, we see higher success rates when the person in need of help was the one who initially opened up to you and asked for professional help. It demonstrates that they are aware of their condition are willing to receive help. Sometimes, they may not be aware they have depression but will be open to therapy when encouraged by their spouse, partner, friends or family. The right therapy can help you pinpoint the cause of the depression and help you feel better.
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Feel confident. With the right therapy and counsellor, depression can be overcome and you can feel happier, more confident, sleep better and the negative thoughts can go away.
Anxiety and Depression Counselling and Therapy
