This is the first of CaperSpring’s three-part series on depression.
Depression is considered the “common cold” of mental illness. In Singapore, 6 in 100 people will suffer from depression at least once in their lifetime (Chong et al., 2012). Some of us may not be very aware of symptoms of depression and how to get help.
In the video below by the Institute of Mental Health, you can find an example of a person struggling with depression and basic information about depression.
Based on Harvard Medical School’s (2017) special report on depression, two screening questions that need to be answered initially:
• During the past month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?
• During the past month, have you often been bothered by little interest or pleasure in doing things?
If the answer to either question is yes, a more thorough assessment is needed.
If you suspect that you or your loved ones may be experiencing symptoms of depression, do not hesitate to reach out to us. You can fill out an intake form here. We will contact you as soon as we can! Your mental well-being is our priority.
In the second-part of this series, we will be sharing with you some common therapeutic approaches to treat depression. Stay tuned for more information!
References
Chong, S. A., Abdin, E., Vaingankar, J. A., Heng, D., Sherbourne, C., Yap, M., . . . Subramaniam, M. (2012). A population-based survey of mental disorders in Singapore. Annals Academy of Medicine(41), 18.
Harvard Medical School. (2017). Understanding Depression: The Many Faces of Depression – And How to Find Relief.