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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What's the differance between depression and a dysfunctional life?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health Relationships
    How do you tell the difference between a clinically, treatable depression, and feeling a bit dysfunctional within myself with a challenging family life?

    Does one cause the other or vice versa ?
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    Vivienne Colegrove

    Counsellor

    I have been working in Eltham, Melbourne as a relationship and family counsellor for over twelve years. I draw on current theory and research about … View Profile

    There are some very worrying statistics about the levels of depression in people caring for a family member with an illness or disability (research has been done most recently through Deakin University in partnership with Carers Australia) Carers report this is often connected to stressors such as financial strain, feeling unsupported in the caring role and experiencing what can be a multitude of griefs - these may include grieving for the loss of the future you may have otherwise pictured for yourself, as you have mentioned. It's vitally important that you get as much support as you can to cope with this difficult role. As well as counselling and medical treatment (you can access counselling free of charge through the carers association in your state, which may include family therapy, but more often is about giving you a space to connect to and process your feelings about what you are dealing with) you may also benefit from linking into respite services and connecting to others who are in a similar situation through carer support groups etc. Being a carer can be isolating - connecting to things you enjoy and to other people outside of those you are caring for is important. Remember to look after you!

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