Depression

Three out of four people in the UK will suffer from depression. We talk to experts and sufferers about keeping the ‘black dog’ from the door

According to Stephen Fry, "Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation, depression just is, like the weather"

For some people, the blues is no passing feeling. Money worries caused by the downturn have produced a rise of between four and five-fold in people reporting depression, according to a study from Roehampton University and poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care.

We’re not just talking the blues, as Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Heath Foundation, explains. “Depression is different to just feeling down or sad. Whereas anyone can feel unhappy at one time, a person suffering from depression can experience intense emotions of anxiety, hopelessness, negativity and helplessness, feelings that often persist for sustained periods.”

Despite the enormous numbers of people affected, the ‘black dog’ remains one of the last big taboos. Although 75 per cent of us know someone with mental illness, we may not know they are mentally ill. The London-based Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia, who has admitted to depression, says the need to hide it is: “A British thing – it’s like, ‘Oh come on, snap out of it, you’re fine.’ It’s about swallowing emotions and not showing things outwardly.”

Which is why campaigns such as the European Depression Association’s ‘No Longer Alone in the Crowd’, which encourage people to talk about their experiences, are so vital. Spokesperson Amelia Mustapha says a vicious circle is in place: “You always get stigma where there is ignorance – so the less people speak of it, the scarier it seems. And people are unwilling to be the first to put their head above the parapet for fear of being seen as weak.”

Ignorance surrounding the condition isn’t surprising, considering that even the experts aren’t entirely sure what causes it. “It is a combination of factors,” says Mustapha. “It is an organic disease which points to something going wrong in the body, but often there is a trigger – perhaps a bereavement or job loss – that can initiate it.”

It is also thought to be something that runs in families. For Carlene Brown, 22, from Birmingham, who became depressed after redundancy, discovering that her great great grandmother suffered from depression helped her come to terms with her own feelings. “It sounds silly, but it made me feel relieved in some way, that the depression wasn’t my fault – there was nothing I did to cause it.” Carlene says she wasn’t suicidal but admits to wanting to “not exist any more”. “I had a constant feeling of dread. I couldn’t tell you what I was so scared about, it was just a feeling that never went away, no matter what I was doing, which made it even scarier. I stopped eating and lost about two stone.”

The forensic psychology student believes that being proactive has helped her enormously. When her GP at first dismissed her, she told him that she wouldn’t leave without a referral to a counsellor. “It made all the difference. It helped to talk to someone who was a complete stranger, so I could talk without worrying about upsetting them with some of the scary things I was feeling.”

Concern about being a burden is one reason why people who are depressed don’t feel they can share their feelings. Paul Farmer, from mental health charity Mind, says that friends and family may need to take the initiative. “The worst thing you can do is leave someone alone, as depression is already a very isolating condition. Even if it’s just a low-key text or phone call to ask if they’re OK. You can’t really say the wrong thing apart from saying, ‘Pull yourself together’. That’s as helpful as telling someone who’s broken their leg to ‘Just walk on it’.”

For school teacher Lynn Blakes, 41, support from her “long-suffering” husband of 20 years is one of the reasons she is back to work after three bouts of depression since the age of 26. “He’s seen me seriously up and down, yet he’s still there for me and has never told me to ‘Get on with it’.” Losing her mother at a young age and the pressure of a stressful career were the triggers for Lynn’s first experience of depression 15 years ago.

“I got deeper and deeper into it without realising what it was. The overwhelming feeling was complete exhaustion and massive sadness. I liken it to someone wringing out my brain. I had no concept of time. I would wake in the morning thinking there was no point in getting up.” Lynn was in bed for three weeks before her GP put her on antidepressants and signed her off work.

“Depression is such a weird thing. I’m normally lively and energetic, I climb mountains and am halfway through a PhD, but when I’m depressed, I can barely move from the sofa. I’m a different person.” Lynn benefited from a mindfulness meditation course at the London Buddhist Centre. “It teaches you to think in the moment and not panic about the future. It tells you to concentrate on the here and now.”

Mindfulness is just one of many treatments and is another reason for sufferers to feel optimistic. “Depression is treatable,” says Amelia Mustapha, “with the right treatment you will recover.”

Carlene is staying positive. “I still have what I call my rainy days, but I haven’t had one for a while now. I’m in control of it now, not it of me.”

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