There are many causes of depression. If I tried to list them I would miss some out, and worse still, I’d probably not include the unique reason(s) that you may suffer with the debilitating condition.

I’m not an expert, I merely write about mental health from a layman’s point of view. Yet, like so many of us, I endure the crippling illness – and whilst I try to remember that we can only control our own thoughts and actions, when the murky cloud nestles, all sensibility flies away!

It’s because we can’t always predict when an episode of depression is on its way. We don’t necessarily see the trigger points, often there doesn’t seem to be a reason; it can’t be quantified at all. It is as unpredictable as the weather.

There are many symptoms, such as: impaired concentration, fatigue, loss of/increased appetite, craving solitude etc. And like many other illnesses, it needs time to run its course. If we compared it to a stomach bug, then we’d be far kinder to ourselves when we suffered another bout of it.

Of course, there are things we can do to help alleviate the symptoms. A diet rich in oily fish, whole grains, dark chocolate, bananas and other “mood foods”, or trying to achieve sufficient sleep, to name a few. But whilst these things can be helpful in decreasing the symptoms, I believe that if you suffer depression, it’s akin to a physical impairment: it won’t go away permanently.  Somehow we have to learn to accommodate it.

Adopting this attitude is liberating, because we can learn not to get further depressed about our depression.

The way I treat my depression is partly through meditation and getting outside, but moreover it’s about my acceptance of the illness. I see it as turbulent weather that is largely out of my control. I accommodate the depression into my daily living, and by doing so, I alleviate another strand of anxiety. If I’m depressed, and I frequently am, then as far as possible, I make space for it. Or I work around it as best I can.

As an example, if I awake with plans to write an entire chapter (of my next book), but my depression is stealing that opportunity away from me, then I’ll surrender to simply making notes instead. Or I’ll sit with the feeling, and try to top up my mood with light entertainment or classical music.

The more we accept ourselves for the unique beings that we are, the better the view of our authentic selves is. Our depression may render us a three-legged dog, but we are no less deserving of happiness, of giving or receiving love, even though we are hindered by our missing limb!