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Depression

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What are the symptoms of depression? 

There are many signs and symptoms of depression, but everyone’s experience will vary. This section covers: 

  • common signs and symptoms of depression 
  • psychotic symptoms 
  • self-harm and suicide 
  • the risk of isolation 
  • anxiety 
  • depression as a symptom of other mental health problems. 

“I had constant low mood, hopelessness, frustration with myself, feeling like I could cry at any moment. 

Common signs and symptoms of depression 

Some common signs of depression include: 

How you might feel 

  • down, upset or tearful 
  • restless, agitated or irritable 
  • guilty, worthless and down on yourself 
  • empty and numb 
  • isolated and unable to relate to other people 
  • finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy 
  • a sense of unreality 
  • no self-confidence or self-esteem 
  • hopeless and despairing 
  • suicidal. 

How you might behave 

  • avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy 
  • self-harming or suicidal behaviour 
  • difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions 
  • losing interest in sex 
  • difficulty remembering or concentrating on things 
  • using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual 
  • difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much 
  • feeling tired all the time 
  • no appetite and losing weight, or eating too much and gaining weight 
  • physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause 
  • moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated 

“It felt like I was really tired, all the time. I had no energy or emotion about anything.” 

Psychotic symptoms 

If you experience an episode of severe depression, you might also experience some psychotic symptoms. These can include: 

If you experience psychotic symptoms as part of depression, they’re likely to be linked to your depressed thoughts and feelings. For example, you might become convinced that you’ve committed an unspeakable crime. 

These kinds of experiences can feel very real to you at the time, which may make it hard to understand that these experiences are also symptoms of your depression. They can also be quite frightening or upsetting, so it’s important to seek treatment and support. 

You might feel worried that experiencing psychotic symptoms could mean you get a new diagnosis, but psychosis can be a symptom of depression. Discussing your symptoms with your doctor can help you get the right support and treatment. 

See our pages on psychosis for more information. 

Self-harm and suicide 

If you are feeling low, you might use self-harming behaviours to cope with difficult feelings. Although this might make you feel better in the short term, self-harm can be very dangerous and can make you feel a lot worse in the long term. See our pages on self- harm for more information. 

“The hardest thing for me is I can never forget I am a carer. Even if I get some ‘me time’, first I have to organise alternative care and if I can’t get it, I have to cancel what I wanted to do.” 

When you’re feeling really low and hopeless, you might find yourself thinking about suicide. Whether you’re only thinking about the idea, or actually considering a plan to end your life, these thoughts can feel difficult to control and very frightening. 

If you’re worried about acting on thoughts of suicide, you can call an ambulance, go straight to A&E or call The Samaritans Hong Kong (multilingual hotline: 2896 0000) or The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong (Chinese hotline: 2389 2222) to talk. 

See our pages on how to cope with suicidal feelings for more information. 

The risk of isolation 

It can sometimes be hard to explain your thoughts and feelings to others. You might find it difficult to talk about your depression and instead you might cut yourself off from other people. The more overwhelming your symptoms, the more isolated and lonely you might become. 

Without treatment and support, depression can have an impact on your relationships, work, finances and overall health, so it’s important to get help as early as possible. See our pages on treatment and support for more information. 

Anxiety 

It’s very common to experience depression and anxiety together. Some symptoms of depression can also be symptoms of anxiety, for example: 

  • feeling restless 
  • being agitated 
  • struggling to sleep and eat. 

See our pages on anxiety for more information. 

“I flit between states of anxiety and depression. At times, each seems to fuel the other.” 

Can depression be a symptom of other mental health problems? 

Depression can be a part of several mental health problems, such as: 

If feelings of low mood or suicidal thoughts are the reason you first speak to your doctor about your mental health, your GP might offer you treatment for depression without realising that you are also experiencing other symptoms. 

If you think you’re experiencing other symptoms, you can talk to your doctor about this to make sure you’re getting the right treatment to help you. See our pages on seeking help for a mental health problem for information on how to make sure your voice is heard, and what you can do if you’re not happy with your doctor.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What are the symptoms of depression?

What are the symptoms of depression? 

There are many signs and symptoms of depression, but everyone’s experience will vary. This section covers: 

  • common signs and symptoms of depression 
  • psychotic symptoms 
  • self-harm and suicide 
  • the risk of isolation 
  • anxiety 
  • depression as a symptom of other mental health problems. 

“I had constant low mood, hopelessness, frustration with myself, feeling like I could cry at any moment. 

Common signs and symptoms of depression 

Some common signs of depression include: 

How you might feel 

  • down, upset or tearful 
  • restless, agitated or irritable 
  • guilty, worthless and down on yourself 
  • empty and numb 
  • isolated and unable to relate to other people 
  • finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy 
  • a sense of unreality 
  • no self-confidence or self-esteem 
  • hopeless and despairing 
  • suicidal. 

How you might behave 

  • avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy 
  • self-harming or suicidal behaviour 
  • difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions 
  • losing interest in sex 
  • difficulty remembering or concentrating on things 
  • using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual 
  • difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much 
  • feeling tired all the time 
  • no appetite and losing weight, or eating too much and gaining weight 
  • physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause 
  • moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated 

“It felt like I was really tired, all the time. I had no energy or emotion about anything.” 

Psychotic symptoms 

If you experience an episode of severe depression, you might also experience some psychotic symptoms. These can include: 

If you experience psychotic symptoms as part of depression, they're likely to be linked to your depressed thoughts and feelings. For example, you might become convinced that you've committed an unspeakable crime. 

These kinds of experiences can feel very real to you at the time, which may make it hard to understand that these experiences are also symptoms of your depression. They can also be quite frightening or upsetting, so it's important to seek treatment and support. 

You might feel worried that experiencing psychotic symptoms could mean you get a new diagnosis, but psychosis can be a symptom of depression. Discussing your symptoms with your doctor can help you get the right support and treatment. 

See our pages on psychosis for more information. 

Self-harm and suicide 

If you are feeling low, you might use self-harming behaviours to cope with difficult feelings. Although this might make you feel better in the short term, self-harm can be very dangerous and can make you feel a lot worse in the long term. See our pages on self- harm for more information. 

“The hardest thing for me is I can never forget I am a carer. Even if I get some ‘me time’, first I have to organise alternative care and if I can’t get it, I have to cancel what I wanted to do.” 

When you're feeling really low and hopeless, you might find yourself thinking about suicide. Whether you're only thinking about the idea, or actually considering a plan to end your life, these thoughts can feel difficult to control and very frightening. 

If you're worried about acting on thoughts of suicide, you can call an ambulance, go straight to A&E or call The Samaritans Hong Kong (multilingual hotline: 2896 0000) or The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong (Chinese hotline: 2389 2222) to talk. 

See our pages on how to cope with suicidal feelings for more information. 

The risk of isolation 

It can sometimes be hard to explain your thoughts and feelings to others. You might find it difficult to talk about your depression and instead you might cut yourself off from other people. The more overwhelming your symptoms, the more isolated and lonely you might become. 

Without treatment and support, depression can have an impact on your relationships, work, finances and overall health, so it's important to get help as early as possible. See our pages on treatment and support for more information. 

Anxiety 

It's very common to experience depression and anxiety together. Some symptoms of depression can also be symptoms of anxiety, for example: 

  • feeling restless 
  • being agitated 
  • struggling to sleep and eat. 

See our pages on anxiety for more information. 

“I flit between states of anxiety and depression. At times, each seems to fuel the other.” 

Can depression be a symptom of other mental health problems? 

Depression can be a part of several mental health problems, such as: 

If feelings of low mood or suicidal thoughts are the reason you first speak to your doctor about your mental health, your GP might offer you treatment for depression without realising that you are also experiencing other symptoms. 

If you think you're experiencing other symptoms, you can talk to your doctor about this to make sure you're getting the right treatment to help you. See our pages on seeking help for a mental health problem for information on how to make sure your voice is heard, and what you can do if you're not happy with your doctor.