Whilst everyone faces low mood and sadness at times, depression is a mental health condition in which an individual experiences intensely low mood, for a prolonged period of time (weeks or months), often without knowing why. If you are experiencing depression, you may identify a particular cause, or you may need help to understand which combination of events has led you to develop depression. Depression is one of the most common mental health problems, with one in five people in Australia experiencing depression at some stage in their lives. Therefore, depression is one of the biggest mental health concerns in the workplace. Without seeking help, depression is unlikely to improve or disappear on its own. However, depression is very treatable, and there are a wide range of options to combat depression and maintain your wellbeing long-term.
If you’ve experienced extremely low mood, more often than not, for at least two weeks, seek advice from one of our psychologists here at VCPS. Whilst low mood alone may not necessarily mean you have depression, it is important to seek help early and try to improve your mood where possible. Battling depression on your own everyday at work can feel like an uphill battle. Tackling your low mood is crucial in order to maximise your ability to cope with stress and the pressures of work.
So, how do you know if you have depression? Depression is characterised by low mood and is considered to be a serious illness when:
Depression can affect your thoughts, behaviours, feelings, and physical well-being. Common signs which may indicate you have depression include:
The psychologists at VCPS are specialised in providing help. A psychologist may help by:
In addition to psychologists, VCPS also offers Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a treatment for depression at our TMS Clinic.
