Depression

"It took me a long time, but I got back on my

feet. It would have been faster if I'd had more
support and more information. I now run a depression awareness group so that other people don't have to go through what happened to
me. Sibongile
What is Depression?
Depression is when someone experience profound sadness in their everyday life. Its an illness in with a combination
of misery, great unhappiness and general weakness occurs, exceed duration and intensify beyond the normal reaction to any provocative disaster. Depression is a long lasting low mood that affects ability to do everyday things, feel
pleasure or take interest in activities away. Depression is disorder that require treatment.
There is a set of signs or symptoms that are associated with depression and help to clarify the diagnosis that might
include the following

Persistent sadness or low mood and symptoms cause distress or impair normal functioning.
Marked loss of interest or pleasure in activities, even for activities that one normally enjoy
Constant tiredness with little or no physical activities
Symptoms occur most of the time on most days and have lasted at least two weeks
The symptoms are not due to a medication side-effect, or to drug or alcohol misuse, or to a physical condition
such as an underactive thyroid or pituitary gland.
Guilt or worthlessness

Getting Help
If you are concerned about yourself you can talk to your GP or other health care professionals. Your GP will assess
you and offer advice and short term treatment alongside a referral that will do further assessment and treatment.
Services may be provided by GP surgery, a large local health centre, a specialist mental health clinic, or hospital.
The treatment may be provided on a one-to-one basis or in a group with others with similar difficulties, and therapy
sometimes also involves partners and families. There is no quick and simple treatment to deal with depression. You
may find that, as well as finding the right treatment, you need further support to help you cope. You may also need
to make changes to your lifestyle.

What else can help?

Whilst you are waiting for the referral try and talk to people you trust about your worries and get support from family
and friends. Find out what causes your stress and work out how to deal with it or avoid stressful situations. Investigate ways to manage your stress., by either doing things you enjoy and helps you relax. Find time in the day to relax
and so something that you enjoy, take your mind off things that cause you to worry.
Keep physically well, following a good diet by cutting down on takeaways and fried food and eating of fruit and vegetables every day, and take regular exercise will also help.
Remember that starting the process of treatment and recovery takes time. Recovery does not mean cure, it is helping someone to live as full a life as possible despite their illness... Hearing Voices Network, 2008
On the back of this flyer youll find, more information that could assist you during your waiting period and/or other
help options to you.

If you are worried that your friend or relative is becoming

very unwell, you could suggest that they:

seek help from their GP

seek help from the duty psychiatrist in a hospital

Accident and Emergency unit (A&E).

If your friend or family member doesnt seek help, and

you think they are putting themselves or others at risk,
their nearest relative (as defined under the Mental Health
Act 1983) can ask for a mental health assessment to be
carried out. Under the Mental Health Act, they can be
detained in hospital for further assessment and treatment
if necessary. You may wish to discuss the consequences
of taking this action with other family members first.

West Surrey and North East Hampshire &

Surrey Heath
09:00 - 17:00, Mon - Fri
Main base:
First Floor,
The Base,
St Peters Hospital,
Guildford Road,
Chertsey KT16 0PZ
Tel: 01932 723343

Rethink Mental Illness

Need practical advice & info? We can help.
Contact our Advice team about mental health
& related issues
Contact: 0300 5000 927
Monday - Friday 10am - 2pm, not including
bank holidays

Try and Avoid:

Putting yourself under more stress than you need to
Isolating yourself, avoiding friends and not talking to
others
Getting involved in negative relationships where
there is a lot of negative comments and criticism
Using too much alcohol and using drugs such as
speed, LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis that can
delay recovery and encourage relapse in psychosis

Satellite base
Aldershot Centre for Health,
Hospital Hill,
Aldershot GU11 1AY
Tel: 01932 723343

Remember these are just a few general tips. Everyone

who develops a psychosis will find many things that are
helpful and unhelpful and should look to develop lists of
their own.

East and Mid Surrey

Mind Infoline

Farmside
West Park
Epsom KT19 8PB
Tel: 01372 206262
In an emergency (outside office hours) you
can contact:
Mental health crisis helpline
Tel: 0300 456 83 42
SMS: 07717 98 90 24
Email
contact-eiip@sabp.nhs.uk
Website
http://www.sabp.nhs.uk/eiip

Lines are open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday

(except for bank holidays).
Contact: 0300 123 3393
info@mind.org.uk
Text: 86463
Talk to Frank
When you need someone to talk to and be
able to just get advice
Contact: 0300 123 6600
Young Minds
Monday to Friday 9.30am 4pm
Contact: 0808 802 5544