Sometimes it builds slowly, almost invisibly — until one day we realise we no longer feel like ourselves. Other times it comes in the wake of a specific event: a relationship rupture, financial pressure, the loss of a loved one, or changes in health, work, or identity.

While a difficult emotional response to life’s challenges is human and expected, there are times when the heaviness feels disproportionate — or as though it won’t lift.

Common Experiences of Depression

• Persistent low mood or hopelessness

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep

• Irritability, restlessness, or agitation

• A sense of emptiness, loneliness, or mokemoke

• Changes in appetite — loss or binge eating

• Numbing out with alcohol, substances, or distractions

• Feeling like everything is an effort — like wading through treacle

• Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy

• Struggles with focus, memory, or motivation

• Self-criticism or guilt

• Thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or not wanting to exist

• Changes in sexual desire or connection

You don’t need to tick every box to be struggling. And depression doesn’t always look like sadness — it can appear as flatness, irritability, withdrawal, or quiet despair.

What’s Beneath the Surface

Sometimes depression is a response to overwhelming life events. Other times, it can be a long-held pattern — a way the nervous system has adapted to protect us in the face of unresolved trauma or early emotional neglect.

It’s not a sign of weakness. Often, it’s a sign of how much you’ve been carrying.

Support That Meets You Where You Are

For some, medication offers essential support. For others, therapy is the place where healing begins. Often, a combination of approaches works best.

In therapy, we won’t rush to fix or label — instead, we’ll take the time to understand what your depression might be asking for. Together, we can explore how to reconnect with what matters, and how to move toward a life that feels more alive.

Take this short depression screening test →

If you’d like to talk, I offer a free 20-minute consultation.

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