 | Depression
Depression is a common illness. It affects 5-10% of the population. It is the third commonest reason for consulting a doctor in the UK .Depression is a biological illness causing a wide range of physical symptoms. 80% of patients with depression consult with physical symptoms.
Depression is an illness that affects the mind and the body, it affects the way we think, the way we feel physically and the way we behave.
Depression changes normal biological processes causing changes in the basic functions of life by influencing sleep pattern, appetite, and energy. Depression often influences our behaviour and can impact on activity levels, sociability, enthusiasm, well-being, motivation and interest.
Depression is often associated with anxiety. Depression can resolve spontaneously. Depression can result in considerable distress and disability. People do get better and remain better.
There are effective treatments for depression.
See the National Institute for Clinical Excellence – Clinical Guidelines for depression. www. nice.org.uk
Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, has been shown to be an effective treatment in depression www.babcp.com
Useful web sites:-
www.livinglifetothefull.com
www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre www.octc.co.uk
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies www.babcp.com
National Institute for Clinical Excellence www.nice.org.uk
Royal College of Psychiatrists:Mental health information
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info
Links to support groups and organisations
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info/supGrps.htm
Mental Health Foundation www.mhf.org.uk
Mind www.mind.org.uk
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are associated with a sudden feeling of dread and terror. People can feel different things when they have a panic attack. Physical symptoms include dizziness, light-headedness, numbness, pins and needles, chest tightness, palpitations, sweating, breathlessness, or abdominal pain. Sometimes people can feel strange, detached or weird during an attack. Many of these symptoms are caused by hyperventilation. When we breathe too quickly it can alter our body chemistry and cause a lot of very real and distressing symptoms.
The intensity of attacks can vary but they can be very severe and create fears that something awful is about to happen – I'm losing control'; ‘I'll pass out or collapse'; ‘I'm going mad'; ‘There is something seriously the matter'; ‘I'm going to die'. These thoughts only serve to increase the sense of fear and the symptoms worsen.
Not surprisingly people often become fearful and chronically worried about having a panic attack – ‘frightened of feeling frightened’.
Sometimes panic attacks can occur out of the blue without any apparent trigger. Panic attacks can have a profoundly damaging impact on an individual's quality of life.
Fortunately there are effective treatments for panic attacks.
See the National Institute for Clinical Excellence – Clinical Guidelines for anxiety and panic. www. nice.org.uk
Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT , has been shown to be an effective treatment for panic attacks.
Useful web sites:-
www.livinglifetothefull.com
www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre www.octc.co.uk
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies www.babcp.com
National Institute for Clinical Excellence www.nice.org.uk
Royal College of Psychiatrists: Mental health information
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info
Links to support groups and organisations
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info/supGrps.htm
Mental Health Foundation www.mhf.org.uk
Mind www.mind.org.uk Please call 020 7936 3454 or email
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