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Showing posts from April, 2015

Can you spot the signs of depression in young people?

In our final post during Depression Awareness Week, we wanted to highlight a group of people  who are known to be moody as a matter of course - we do of course mean teenagers. Of course, the tendency of teenagers to have mood swings and to be independent is quite normal. As well as hormonal issues, there is a lot of change, anxiety and pressure at this life stage, so it stands to reason that there will be mood swings. However this tendency can make it harder to spot signs of more serious issues, such as depression, in this age group. How can I spot the signs? When it comes to depression, the key is to consider the length and severity of the symptoms. Long lasting, uncharacteristic changes in personality, behaviour or mood are good indicators that something is not right.  Teenagers who are depressed may become irritable, hostile and prone to angry outbursts. They may not take criticism very well and be particularly sensitive to being rejected or to failing. You may...

Depression Awareness: Helping Men Seek Help

This week is depression awareness week and in our previous post we looked at what depression is. At First Psychology Scotland's centres we work with people of all ages and from all types of background and we see the evidence every day. Depression doesn't just affect one type of person - anyone can suffer from depression at any point in their life. Men are often overlooked However when it comes to thinking about depression, men are often overlooked. There are a number of reasons for this. Traditional ways of assessing people for depression looked at the symptoms which up until recently had been the symptoms reported by women. That is because women are more likely to seek help. Indeed many men have been brought up to be big and strong and not to cry or admit weakness. They may not share their feelings with their friends, family or even their partner. This can prevent men seeking help. The signs that a man may need help Men actually experience the same range of issues ...

How do you know if you're depressed?

It is Depression Awareness Week this week and everyone will be familiar with the term 'depression' being used in everyday conversation to describe someone who is feeling miserable, but what really constitutes depression and how can you tell the difference between low mood and depression? What is depression? Someone who is suffering from depression will not simply feel a little bit down for a few weeks, they will experience low mood, loss of interest or enjoyment in activities, and low self-esteem over a prolonged period of time. They may find it hard to deal with daily life and may not feel able to cope with day-to-day activities. Common symptoms of depression  There are many different symptoms associated with depression including: Changes in feelings: feeling agitated, irritated or angry; feeling worthless or helpless; low confidence; guilt; feeling you have lost control of your life; and suicidal thoughts. Changes in behaviour: increased aggression towards other...

Are you an assertive communicator?

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What sort of communicator are you?  If you find it hard or feel guilty about expressing your view point or feel angry and lose your temper when others disagree with you then you may be a non-assertive communicator. Lacking assertiveness skills, non-assertive communicators may be passive and submit to the dominance of others or they may be aggressive and dominate social interactions.  Often aggression and dominance is what people think of when they think about assertiveness, but assertiveness is not about this. What is assertiveness? Assertiveness is about feeling able to express your view point and feelings in an open and honest way as well as listening respectfully to the views and feelings of others.  An assertive communicator will feel able to say 'no' to the unfair demands of others without feeling guilty or anxious. This may sound easy, but expressing your viewpoint without bullying and dominating others and without feeling guilty later is a skil...