Dear Editor,

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week so we thought it would be useful to talk about depression.

Depression is one of the commonest conditions we see at Alton Street Surgery in Ross-on-Wye. It can sometimes be hard to recognise when low mood becomes a problem. Warning signs that this might actually be an episode of depression include:

• Poor sleep, especially waking early and feeling unrefreshed.

• Lack of enjoyment in things that normally interest you.

• Changes in appetite, either overeating or loss of appetite.

• Feelings of guilt

• Poor concentration, often with poor memory (if you weren’t listening, you won’t remember it!)

• Bleak thoughts

• Lack of drive

• Being tearful or irritable.

Depression is treatable, with medication or talking therapies, or both. Talking therapies are available in Herefordshire through the free Lets Talk service, or Books on Prescription which is in Ross Library - this is a set of books on how to manage common mental health conditions, using CBT techniques (cognitive behavioural therapy).

Antidepressants are safe with few side effects, and are not addictive. They can take a few weeks to have their full effect but they can make a huge difference. We normally suggest a minimum course of six months, as relapse rates are much higher if stopped before this.

The crucial thing is to talk to someone - often the hardest thing is to admit that things aren’t going right. It gets much easier when you’ve made that step, so please do contact the surgery if you’re worried about your mental health.

Alton Street Surgery