6 April 2011
One in five people will suffer from depression at some point in their lives and next week local people who may be affected by the illness are being encouraged to seek help.
Top hospital doctor Ruth Charlton, who is the Deputy Medical Director at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals, is supporting Depression Awareness Week, which raises awareness of the symptoms to watch out for, and urges people to get the medical advice they need.
The week, which runs from 11 - 17 April, is a national initiative run by Depression Alliance - the leading UK charity for people with depression.
Dr Charlton said: "This is a vitally important week to be aware of the signs of depression and to take action if you think you are affected. Of course, everyone feels down from time-to-time and it is natural to feel sad or upset sometimes, but people who suffer from depression have an illness which affects them much more profoundly."
The signs and symptoms of depression are varied, and not everyone is affected in the same way. However symptoms to watch out for include:
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Tiredness and loss of energy;
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Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem;
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Difficulty concentrating;
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Feeling helpless and hopeless;
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Sleeping problems - difficulties in getting off to sleep or waking up much earlier than usual;
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Avoiding other people, sometimes even your close friends;
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Loss of appetite;
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Loss of sex drive and/or sexual problems.
Dr Charlton adds: "Anyone who feels four of these symptoms or more consistently for a fortnight or more should visit their GP and seek advice; but if you are having thoughts about suicide or death, or if you are thinking about harming yourself, you should seek medical attention immediately - do not wait."
More than 2.9 million people in the UK are diagnosed as having depression at any one time but as many as three in four cases of depression are neither recognised nor treated, so the actual figure is much higher.
The World Health Organisation estimates that by the year 2020, major depression will be second only to chronic heart disease as an international health burden.
But Dr Charlton added: "There are treatments for depression but sometimes people may feel embarrassed or ashamed. Remember, depression is an illness - you'd seek advice for a virus, an infection or a broken limb, so don't worry about asking for help with depression.
"Sometimes people don't even realise they need help. This can happen especially if they have been feeling the same for a long time, or trying to cope by keeping themselves busy. If you are worried, or recognise any of the symptoms in yourself or others, seek advice from your GP or encourage them to do so."
In addition, there are a number of local and national organisations that can offer support and advice. These include:
NHS Direct, Tel: 0845 46 47, Web: www.nhs.uk
The Samaritans, Tel: 08457 90 90 90, Web: www.samaritans.org
For more information on the Depression Alliance or Depression Awareness Week, visit www.depressionalliance.org.
