sometimes depression washes over us for no discernible reason - one day we look back and see that along the way things changed.

depressive episodes can also be triggered by external events: financial pressure, sexual and/or relationship issues, loss of job, losing a loved one and many more more catalysts. Whilst a healthy response to many of these events would not be pleasurable, it can also feel as if something more is going on.

whether there is a cause or no identifiable reason, some common symptoms of depression might be:

• constantly feeling down or hopeless

• struggling to get to sleep or staying asleep

• irritability or restlessness

• feeling empty, lonely, mokemoke

• loss of appetite

• binge eating

• using alcohol, substances or behaviours to numb and ‘check out’

• a sense that everything is hard, like you’re wading through treacle

• loss of interest in things that used to give us pleasure

• loss of concentration

• feeling bad about things you have done

• thoughts of harming yourself, of suicide or not wanting to exist

• change in sexual desire

depression is a term used when some of these symptoms exist. it could also be the case that these symptoms exist as a coping strategy for unresolved trauma whatever that may look like.

some people find medication helpful, others do not. therapy can work independently of, or in conjunction with medication.

take this depression test for more insight