Feeling down - and it won't go away

Have you been feeling down, sad, guilty, and anxious or maybe lacking emotions?

Have you been frequently self-critical, blaming yourself for things that go wrong, pessimistic (the glass half-empty view), having memory loss and finding it difficult to concentrate? Have you had thoughts of death or suicide?

Have you been crying, withdrawing from others or things that you enjoy? Have you lost motivation?

Have you been lacking energy and not wanting to do things, sleeping a lot or not much, overeating or have lost your appetite, lost your libido?

These feelings, thoughts, behaviours and physical symptoms are often associated with depression. If you had these feelings and experiences for more than two weeks, then you may be experiencing depression and not just having a bad day.

You are not alone. In Australia each year more than 1 in 20 people will develop depression. Nearly 1 in 5 of us will develop depression at some point in our life In Australia; half a million working days are lost every month just due to depression. All this simply means is that depression is very common.

While mental illness doesn’t discriminate, there are some groups in the community that have a higher risk. For example, recent Australian research shows that carers who look after a person with an ongoing and serious illness or disability are almost twice as likely as the general population to develop depression. Some occupations also have higher rates of depression and anxiety problems.

If you want a more complete assessment to see if you are experiencing depression, anxiety or post natal depression, click on beyondblue’s website to access a series of symptom checklists that you can complete on each of these conditions.

Upon completion of the checklist you will be given a score. If the score suggests you do have the symptoms of one of these illnesses, it is strongly encouraged that you seek professional advice. A Fact Sheet also provides tips on what you do if you are depressed is available here.

Another useful tool is MoodGYM. This resource is a free e-Learning package that has been developed by the Australian National University. MoodGYM includes a questionnaire that provides you with insight into your level of depression and anxiety. You will need to register as a MoodGYM user to access this information. Once you complete the questionnaire, MoodGYM will provide you with a score and insights on your depression and anxiety levels, and what you can do to maintain or enhance your current well-being.

If you are feeling depressed it is recommended that you talk to a doctor (GP) or a qualified health professional like a psychologist. Some GPs have undertaken additional training in this area and are listed on the beyondblue website.  In addition there is also a list of other mental health practitioners who can provide effective treatments listed on the beyondblue website.

Facts sheets are in PDF format. You'll require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. Download it for free here.

To begin, select a category from the menu below.