| Sometimes it doesn't seem as if there is a way | | | | depression. Let's look at Alice's situation again. |
| out of the everyday grind and the setbacks that | | | | What are the beliefs that Alice has about |
| are thrown on our path. It seems that we spend | | | | herself?o Feels inadequate at handling stressful |
| our time responding to emergencies and that we | | | | work staff situationso She is responsible for |
| are not really getting anywhere. We seem to be | | | | leaving her patients and staff in the lurcho She |
| spending our time and all our energy just to stay | | | | was no good at her jobo She was a slob who |
| afloat in life and our goals and dreams seem to | | | | didn't deserve a friends |
| melt away or are moved into the too hard | | | | Added to these are feeling bored with her work, |
| basket. This article looks at the problem of life | | | | social isolation from friends and withdrawal into |
| getting out of control and how the events of life | | | | her home on sick leave. |
| and the way we respond to then can get you | | | | If you are feeling depressed does any of this |
| down. It's about the cycle of depression. | | | | sound familiar? Do you believe that:o everything |
| Alice is an example of someone whose life events | | | | you do goes wrong?o you are only invited to |
| and the way she responded to these events | | | | dinner because the other person felt obliged to |
| caused her to enter the cycle of depression. Alice | | | | include you?o nothing changes - so what's the |
| was a hard working caring nurse who worked on | | | | point in trying?o you only got the job because |
| a busy ward at a regional hospital. She was well | | | | they were desperate for staff? |
| qualified and often took on the responsibility of | | | | These negative beliefs are a part of the |
| team leader for her shift. Although the ward was | | | | depression cycle and adding to them are unhelpful |
| frequently busy she often found herself getting | | | | behaviours such as:o overeating - in particular |
| bored with the routine nature of much of the | | | | sweet foods like biscuits and chocolateo drinking |
| work that she had to do. She also found the | | | | alcoholo lying around watching TV and not doing |
| petty 'politics' of the ward and the hospital | | | | anything constructiveo withdrawing from social |
| stressful - she just wanted to do a good job and | | | | contacto gambling or using shopping to make |
| go home. However, she often found herself | | | | yourself feel better |
| drawn into 'battles' between staff members who | | | | Because you are feeling dreadful the chances are |
| wanted a promotion position or change to the | | | | that you are trying to make yourself feel numb |
| way things were run on the ward. These | | | | with these unhelpful behaviours. However in the |
| encounters made her feel inadequate and | | | | long run they will only make matters worse and |
| stressed. She didn't know how to handle the | | | | add to the feelings of guilt and depression - thus |
| situation and the tension between staff on the | | | | keeping the depression cycle going. You need to |
| ward made going to work difficult for her. Alice | | | | do things differently so that you are not adding to |
| started to take sick leave - which made her feel | | | | the cycle. |
| guilty about leaving her patients and colleagues in | | | | What could Alice do to change her situation for |
| the lurch. | | | | the better? |
| At home Alice was always tired and never felt | | | | The answer to this is that there are many things |
| like doing anything - she was overeating and | | | | that she could do - both in the short term and |
| watched TV. Over time she was beginning to feel | | | | the longer term. One way of overcoming |
| that she was no good at her job, that she was a | | | | depression is to undertake a program, work |
| slob around the house and had no social life. She | | | | through issues and develop a plan. Tackling your |
| felt guilty and depressed about all areas of her life. | | | | fears, working out goals and engaging in |
| Her boyfriend of two years left her saying he | | | | behaviours that are helpful are important parts of |
| 'couldn't take her moodiness any more'. She | | | | overcoming depression. |
| believed that he was too good for her anyway | | | | This article explored how one person allowed the |
| and that it was a wonder that he stayed with her | | | | problems of life to get out of control and how the |
| for as long as he did. This made her feel even | | | | events of life and the way she responded to then |
| more depressed. | | | | can got her down. She was in a cycle of |
| What do you think of Alice's situation? Is she | | | | depression. If you are in a cycle of depression |
| unlucky or is there anything that she could have | | | | then join the depression program offered by so |
| done to prevent any of this? More importantly | | | | that you can get on the right track again and |
| what can Alice do now to break the cycle of | | | | enjoy life. Take a tour at to discover the |
| depression and turn things around? | | | | approach they have to supporting you to break |
| Alice needs to do something or the chances are | | | | your cycle of depression. |
| that she will continue the cycle into further | | | | |