“One of the amazing consequences of writing this book has been learning, in a new and humbling way, of how many people in my life struggle with depression… These are people who get up every day, make a list of things to do, get them done, and more. They are there for other people. They have a sense of humor and a never-ending ability to ruefully laugh at themselves. They’re smart and they’re savvy. And yet none of these things provides any sort of protection from the devastating effects of this often invisible disease – depression.”
Depression is an illness where feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, linked to the inability to concentrate, may make it hard for some people to carry out normal daily activities. Depression can affect things like appetite, sleep and energy levels, as well as how you think about yourself. The symptoms of depression include:
* Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
* Feeling useless, inadequate, bad.
* Difficulty in concentrating.
* A sense of unreality.
* Self hatred.
* Constant questioning of thoughts and actions.
* Being "over-sensitive".
* Feelings of guilt.
* A loss of energy and motivation.
* Self harm.
* Loss or gain in weight.
* Difficulty sleeping.
* Agitation and restlessness.
* Loss of sex drive.
* Physical aches and pains.
There may also be:
* Suicidal ideas.
* Failure to eat or drink.
* Delusions and/or hallucinations.
Personally, I have had trouble getting to sleep at night, loss of appetite, the feeling that no-one cares about me, feelings of guilt for not doing as well at things as I should be capable of, apathy towards various things (from my university course to my favourite TV shows), difficulty concentrating on work, feeling like a failure, and thoughts of suicide.
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