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50 Life Coaching Exercises

 

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Deal with a Jealous Partner

 

AWAKE from Anxiety

 

 

 

Beating Depression

How Common is Depression?

Estimates as to how many people suffer from depression vary but the number is significant, perhaps as high as 10% of the adult UK population at any given time. Many but not all people suffering from depression experience anxiety at the same time. Depression affects the way that you think and feel about the world.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

If over a period of 2 weeks or more you experience a depressed mood most of the day and marked loss of interest in activities most of the day as well as 3 or more of the symptoms below on a regular basis then you may be suffering from clinical depression. The other possible symptoms are listed below (this is not an exhaustive list and there may be alternative explanations for the symptoms):

What are the Causes of Depression?

There is no one cause for depression. Difficult or painful past or current experiences can contribute to depression and depression can also be triggered by a significant life change or a loss of some kind, such as a bereavement or relationship breakdown. In some cases depression may also be caused by an underactive thyroid gland. Suppressing or not dealing adequately with difficult feelings may also sometimes contribute to depression. There is also anecdotal evidence to suggest that occasionally people may react to certain foods by becoming depressed and keeping a healthy balanced diet is recommended as one aspect of managing depression (see below).

How to Beat Depression - Medical Treatment

If you experience several of the above symptoms, you should consult your doctor. One option may be to take prescribed antidepressants but these quite often can take some time to have an effect and there are other options not involving medication, such as CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (see below), which can assist you in beating depression either on their own or in conjunction with medication prescribed by your doctor.

Beating Depression - Practical First Steps

Aside from seeking advice from your GP and considering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Coaching, inital steps you can take to try to help you manage depression include:

How to Beat Depression - CBT

CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been shown to be effective for many people in helping to manage depression and deal with the symptoms. Effective depression help lines and depression management courses may use CBT techniques to support you. I use CBT in the Telephone Coaching that I provide. In fact the techniques involved in CBT have been so successful that the UK government has promoted their use in the National Health Service, endorsing training and courses in CBT and other psychological therapies for health and social services professionals to help with depression management and treatment of anxiety disorders (see, for example: Government Plans for Training in Psychological Therapies).

CBT is a pragmatic model for helping people to deal with negative or problematic thoughts and feelings, which recognises the connections between thoughts, feelings and actions and helps individuals to address them in a planned, structured and practical way. I have been trained in cognitive behavioural methods and have found them to be one of the most effective methods available for helping people to overcome and break out of mental and emotional difficulties and anxieties. A brief introduction to CBT is available on this website at the link at: CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

 

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