See the section on depression in the "keeping healthy" section for the symptoms of this condition.

Talk to someone

It helps to talk to someone who understands. You may feel reluctant to do this, it's common to feel that you don't want to trouble other people when you are depressed. Depression makes you feel more guilty than usual and also you may feel worthless, try to remember that these feelings are part of the disease and not actually based on fact.

You will not be a nuisance if you talk to someone about your sadness and worries, try to remember that you would have listened to someone else in the same situation.

Even if you feel that you don't want to live anymore don't be ashamed to talk about it, this feeling is common in depression and being open about it can help to put it in perspective. You also need to come and talk to us at the surgery where we are used to seeing many people who feel like this.

Avoid thinking errors

In depression you can also help yourself by trying to put right some of the "thinking errors" that are common in this condition.

Some examples of thinking errors are

• you may make a mistake and think that you are a complete failure. This is called overgeneralising. One mistake has been magnified to such an extent that you believe that you are a complete failure as a person. Everyone makes mistakes and the best way to deal with them is to learn from them, rather than brood over them. 
• you may ignore your successes and only see the few things in your life that are not perfect. Try to keep a daily list of all the things that you have succeeded at each day, you may be surprised at how long this list becomes. Don't ignore praise from other people, thank them for it and really believe it.
• don't magnify frightening thoughts out of all proportion. You can learn to balance frightening thoughts with more reassuring and realistic thoughts. 
  For example, if your friend hasn't phoned you, you can turn the thought "my friend doesn't like me anymore" into "my friend is very busy at the moment and will phone me when he has time".

Get some exercise

Try getting some exercise, this can often help to put worrying thoughts in proportion, it gives you a sense of well being and when you exercise with other people their company can cheer you up. We can refer you to the Live Life exercise programme at Riverside in Chelmsford if you like. You can find out about local opportunities for exercise on our local resources page. If you don't like organised exercise, there are lots of lovely footpaths to explore around the area ,or if you don't like walking perhaps you could go for a bike ride.

Keep to a routine

Even if you don't feel like doing anything, try and stick to a routine. Plan things to do in advance, especially at weekends, when there isn't the ready made routine of going to work.

Come and see us

Do come and see us at the surgery, we can help, and can offer a listening ear unaffected by the strong emotions that your immediate family may have.

see the section on emotional health in the contacts section for information about various helplines 

The Samaritans 01245 357 357