Depression – Why Do I Feel This Way?

Managing our mental health is something we’re all challenged with every day. Just as feelings of joy and happiness are a normal part of life, so too are those moments when we feel low or sad.

Feeling down isn’t unusual, but if these feelings persist, or are accompanied by a significant change in your behaviour, it could mean that you have depression.

If you’ve been experiencing periods of sadness, you could develop a better understanding of what this might mean by taking our depression test. The test contains nine questions, will take just a few short minutes and can help you to:

  • Make sense of how you’ve been feeling recently
  • Gain a greater understanding of the experience of living with depression 
  • Give you some direction on what you should do next

Before you begin, please note that this test doesn’t provide a diagnosis for depression, but can be used as an initial indication of the likelihood of you having depression. Click the button below to take the depression test, or keep reading for more information on who the test is for and what your results might mean.

Depression treatment options

There are four main categories of treatment for depression. They are:

  • Psychological – talking therapies or counselling
  • Pharmacological – antidepressant medication
  • Alternative treatments – such as neuromodulation or rTMS and nutrition
  • Hospital and residential treatment – in an intensive inpatient setting
  • Lifestyle changes – including relaxation, exercise and sleep For many people, a combination of treatment types works well in treating depression.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) outlines criteria for diagnosing depression. Five or more of the following nine symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks and at least one must be either ‘little interest or pleasure in doing things’ or ‘feeling down, depressed or hopeless’:

  • Little interest or pleasure in doing things
  • Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
  • Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
  • Feeling tired or having little energy
  • Poor appetite or overeating
  • Feeling bad about yourself, for example, feeling as though you’re a failure or have let yourself or your family down
  • Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading a newspaper or watching television
  • Moving or speaking so slowly that other people have noticed. The opposite is also a symptom – being so fidgety or restless that you are noticeably moving around a lot more than usual
  • Thoughts that you’d be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way

Psychological treatment for depression

  • Therapy for depression helps you to understand, manage and reduce your symptoms by addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of depression. 
  • Therapy supports you to develop new coping skills, increase your self-awareness and learn strategies to tackle the underlying causes of depression.

    CBT
    IPT
    PSYCHO DYNAMIC THERAPY
    MBCT

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns that contribute to depression. By learning to reframe these thoughts, you can manage your symptoms more effectively and build resilience against future depressive episodes.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) emphasises improving communication and social skills by addressing the relationship issues that may contribute to depression. By resolving interpersonal conflicts and improving social functioning, IPT helps you to form more supportive relationships.

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy delves into unresolved, often unconscious conflicts rooted in the past. By exploring these underlying issues, you can gain insight into the root causes of your depression, which can help you to better understand and manage your symptoms.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combines elements of CBT with mindfulness techniques, encouraging you to stay present and observe your thoughts without judgment. This can be particularly effective if you’re prone to depressive thinking, as it helps you to manage negative thoughts as they arise.

Many other types of therapy can be effective for depression. You’ll work with a mental health professional, like a therapist, to decide which therapy will be best for you.

Therapy can take place in individual or group settings. Individual therapy, which can take place face-to-face or online, allows for a private setting where you can build a one-to-one relationship with a therapist.

Group therapy is an involves working alongside other people facing similar challenges. This peer support can provide motivation, encouragement and a sense of shared understanding, which can be powerful in recovery.

Medications for depression

The main antidepressant medications work by influencing the brain’s neurotransmitter systems, impacting mood and emotional regulation in unique ways.Medication will be prescribed by Sri Narayani Hospital Psychiatrist.