Articles

A traumatic incident Seventeen year old Rich was depressed. He had been taking driving lessons quite happily until an incident occurred when he mounted the pavement. Although the actual incident had been quite minor, in his imagination he had started playing a film of all the possible consequences of losing control of the car. He...

Have you ever wondered why you feel more down in winter than summer? Have you noticed less energy, disrupted sleep or low mood as the days shorten and the nights draw in? Sheila came to see me in January complaining of depression, tiredness and lack of motivation. ‘This seems to happen every year,’ she told...

Jill was a writer. She wrote poetry and fictional short stories. She had had M.E. for two years and, when she found her way to me, had panic attacks so severe they would throw her to the floor. The final straw had been when a well meaning bereavement counsellor had told her she was undergoing...

Paul was a broken man. His eyes were shadowed and tired. He looked pale and gaunt like he hadn’t been eating properly. ‘I feel like ending it all.’ Paul spoke in an unnerving, detached voice. ‘What’s the point in going on? I simply don’t see a future worth living.’ ‘Paul’ I said ‘Can I ask...

There is a clear link between insomnia and depression which many people, including mental heath professionals, can’t understand. It can seem like a chicken and egg situation. Does insomnia contribute to depression or vice versa? Do you have trouble getting to sleep at night or do you find you fall asleep OK, wake early and then...