Depression

Depression can affect anyone at any stage of their life; an individual may be an introvert or an extrovert, socially active or shy, youthful or elderly, wealthy or poor and you can struggle with depression. Depression is a complex disorder and it is important to understand that depression is not caused by one thing, but probably by a combination of factors interacting with one another. 

Although you can feel alone in your struggle against depressive moods, the reality is that many people will experience these moods from time to time, or even regularly. Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, a Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (SCMH) identified that one in four (25%) Canadians aged 18 and older screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in spring 2021, up from one in five (21%) in Fall 2020. 

Depression is considered to be a disorder of mood. In mild forms of depression, individuals may not feel bad all day, but still describe a dismal outlook and a sense of gloom. Their mood may lift with a positive experience, but fall again with a minor disappointment. In severe depression, a low mood could persist throughout the day, failing to lift even when pleasant things occur. The low mood may fluctuate during the day – it may be worse in the morning and relatively better in the afternoon. In addition to sadness, other moods common to depression are anxiety, guilt 
and/or worthlessness and hopelessness.

Depression can affect an individual’s thinking by negatively influencing the way a person views the self and the world. Some people experience physical symptoms of depression. This can look like changes in sleep patterns (troubles falling asleep, waking up at night, trouble going back to sleep or waking up early in the morning while others find they sleep more), eating patterns (eating more or less), sexual interest can decline along with energy levels and motivation. Some individuals can experience concerns in their relationships with an increase in feeling lonely, isolated and yet difficulty reaching out even when other people are available.