National Depression Awareness Week 11-17th April | |||||
1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from depression
This week, from 11th - 17th April, is Depression Awareness week across the UK. If you are affected by depression, you are not 'just' sad or upset. You have an illness which means that intense feeling of persistent sadness, helplessness and hopelessness are accompanied by physical effects such as sleeplessness, a loss of energy, or physical aches and pains. Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling the same for a long time, if they have been trying to cope with their depression by keeping themselves busy, or if their depressive symptoms are more physical than emotional. Ealing GP Jeremy Gittins told us that National Depression Week is an opportunity for everyone to look around at their friends and family and themselves and consider whether anyone they know might be depressed. Gittins says if the answer to either of these is yes and you think you would like help with depression think about visiting your GP.
12th April 2011 |