Current research shows that 1 in 4 Britons will suffer from a mental health problem within a given year, with anxiety and depression being the most common combination of mental health disorders in the UK. Between 8 and 12 percent of the population will struggle with depression having an impact on home, career, relationships and personal esteem. Men, women, and children are all affected by depression, although women experience it at roughly twice the rate of men. Specific biological life cycles, and psychosocial factors may contribute to women’s depression. However, age, lifestyle, and environment are added stresses for all people who suffer from depression.

The symptoms of depression are emotional, physical and psychological and can be experienced individually or simultaneously. Some symptoms of minor depression include loss of energy, motivation, and appetite; despite these symptoms, however, those suffering from minor depression are still able to function normally and get necessary things done. When depression pervades every aspect of life, when getting out of bed to go to work becomes a problem every day, the depression is no longer minor. Severe depression can be serious and life threatening and should be treated immediately. Regardless of how bad you may be feeling, depression can be treated successfully.

Depression is a dark filter that clouds your ability to discern reality from fantasy. You believe your fatalist future visions, such as “No one will ever love me again”, “My life will never be the same”, or “I’ll never find another job”. Regardless of the origin of depression, one thing is certain: negative self-defeating thoughts perpetuate it.

While constant negative thinking, such as self-blame or inadequacy, can fuel the fire of depression by adversely affecting the chemical balance in your brain, the converse can be true as well – a chemical imbalance can intensify negative thinking. Depression can be far more manageable when you have embarked on a journey of greater self-awareness.