Helping you to understand depression

Welcome to Doctor Depression

Hi and welcome to my site about my experiences with depression, advice and information about symptoms and causes etc.

It doesn't matter what brings you hear, whether you are suffering from work-related stress, bereavement, clinical depression, postpartum depression...whatever. What does matter is that you've come to the right place to learn about what is affecting you or a loved one.

I was moved to start this site after getting myself into a deep and dark 'hole'. I was withdrawn from everyday family life and had a strong sense of worthlessness. What was the point in getting up in a morning? What was the point of carrying on? I felt that I didn't deserve my kids, or my loving husband for that matter.

It took me a long while, more than two and a half years, before I summoned up the courage to talk to somebody about this. I used to sit there denying it all, I didn't think I was depressed - I just seemed to 'know' that there was no point to my existence.

How wrong I was.

Sure, it was a long and winding road but it was a route that I'm glad I've taken and I'm enjoying life again. My experiences have interested me so much that I'm studied the causes and issues surrounding depression (and related illnesses) and I'm presenting them here on this website for you.

Thanks :)

Joan x

Do you chew gum? If so, here's some good news: chewing gum may help reduce stress and anxiety, according to a recent study by an Australian research team.

More than 40 people were examined during the study. They were split into two groups -- one group chewed gum, the other did not -- and then asked to perform a variety of tasks under increasingly stressful environments. At the conclusion of the tests, the gum-chewers showed a 17 percent reduction in anxiety during mildly stressful situations, and a 10 percent reduction during moderately stressful situations. The gum chewers also showed greater alertness and memory retention during the round of tests.

By the end of the study, gum chewers scored remarkably higher than their non-chewing counterparts under mildly and moderately stressful situations.

Chewing gum already had dental and muscular benefits. Turns out, gum chewing even has mental benefits. Who would have thought?