GARDA SUPPORT
By Mark Reddy M.Sc.
DEPRESSION
How to Recognize Depression Symptoms
and Get Effective Help
The normal ups and downs of life mean that
everyone feels sad or has "the blues" from
time to time. But if emptiness and despair
have taken hold of your life and won't go
away, you may have depression. Depression
makes it tough to function and enjoy life like
you once did. Just getting through the day
can be overwhelming. But no matter how
hopeless you feel, you can get better.
Understanding the signs, symptoms, causes,
and treatment of depression is the first step
to overcoming the problem.
“There are wounds that never show on the
body that are deeper and more hurtful than
anything that bleeds.”
― Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss
What is depression?
Sadness or downswings in mood are normal
reactions to life’s struggles, setbacks, and
disappointments. Many people use the word
“depression” to explain these kinds of
feelings, but depression is much more than
just sadness.
Some people describe depression as “living
in a black hole” or having a feeling of
impending doom. However, some depressed
people don't feel sad at all—they may feel
lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or men in
particular may even feel angry, aggressive,
and restless.
Whatever the symptoms, depression is
different from normal sadness in that it
engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with
your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and
have fun. The feelings of helplessness,
hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense
and unrelenting, with little, if any, relief.
Are you depressed?
If you identify with several of the following
signs and symptoms—especially the first
two—and they just won’t go away, you may
be suffering from depression.
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you feel hopeless and helpless
you’ve lost interest in friends,
activities, and things you used to enjoy
you feel tired all the time
your sleep and appetite has changed
you can’t concentrate or find that
previously easy tasks are now difficult
you can’t control your negative
thoughts, no matter how much you try
you are much more irritable, shorttempered, or aggressive than usual
you’re consuming more alcohol than
normal or engaging in other reckless
behavior
reach out to others, even if you feel like
being alone or don’t want to feel like a
burden to others. The truth is that most
people will be happy that you chose to
confide in them; they’ll be flattered that you
trust them enough to open up. So, let your
family and friends know what you’re going
through and how they can support you.
Make healthy lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are not always easy to
make, but they can have a big impact on
depression. Lifestyle changes that can be
very effective include:
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Ask for help and support
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If even the thought of tackling your
depression seems overwhelming, don’t
panic. Feeling helpless and hopeless is a
symptom of depression—not the reality of
your situation. It does not mean that you’re
weak or you can’t change! The key to
depression recovery is to start small and ask
for help.
The simple act of talking to someone face to
face about how you feel can be an enormous
help. The person you talk to doesn’t have to
be able to fix you; he or she just needs to be
a good listener.
Having a strong support system will speed
your recovery. Isolation fuels depression, so
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Cultivating supportive relationships
Getting regular exercise and sleep
Eating healthfully to naturally boost
mood
Talking through your issues
Keeping a Diary of your worries,
concerns etc
Managing stress
Practicing relaxation techniques
(Breathing Exercises Help)
Challenging negative thought patterns
(understanding that thoughts and
emotions change constantly)
[Date]
Build emotional skills
Many people lack the skills needed to
manage stress and balance emotions.
Members of An Garda Siochana for the
most part can find even talking about stress
to be a challenge; however, you are
responsible for knowing this area and
minding yourselves.
Building emotional skills can give you the
ability to cope and bounce back from
adversity, trauma, and loss.
In other words, learning how to recognize
and express your emotions can make you
more resilient.
Seek professional help
Note: If support from family and friends,
positive lifestyle changes, and emotional
skills building aren’t enough, seek help
from a mental health professional. There
are many effective treatments for
depression, including therapy, exercise and
medication. Learning about your options
will help you decide what measures are
most likely to work best for your particular
situation and needs.
thinking and employ
behavioural skills in combating depression.
Therapy can also help you work through the
root of your depression, helping you
understand why you feel a certain way, what
your triggers are for depression, and what
you can do to stay healthy.
Support comes in many forms; please
contact your GP to discuss any concerns you
have. Also have a look at
http://www.aware.ie/ where you will find
support groups and advice.
Are antidepressants right for you?
In my 20 years covering these areas I have
been against the use of drugs, however, I
believe I was wrong in this regard. In my
opinion if you have a history of anxiety and
depression, if there is a family pattern of
such conditions and other options just
aren’t working then anti-depressants may
be a real option. They have returned people
with depression and anxiety back to lives
that once were unimaginable.
Please consult your pharmacist and GP to
discuss options
Mark Reddy M.Sc
Effective treatment for depression often
includes some form of therapy. Therapy
gives you tools to treat depression from a
variety of angles. Also, what you learn in
therapy gives you skills and insight to
prevent depression from coming back.
Some types of therapy teach you practical
techniques on how to reframe negative
Personal Websites:
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/mark-reddy-15aa233a
www.esforum.org
www.stresskills.ie
www.gardasupport.ie
For immediate support please call free and in
confidence:
Samaritans��� 24-hour helpline: 116 123.
Console 24/7 Suicide Helpline ��� 1800 247 247
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