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A depressive episode can affect mood, sleep, motivation, concentration, relationships and daily life. It may occur as part of a longer-term depressive disorder or alongside anxiety, trauma, alcohol use or drug use.
Recovery Scotland is an information and referral support service. We do not diagnose depression, provide clinical treatment or operate a clinic. We can help you understand support pathways and, where appropriate, discuss providers who may be able to assess your needs.
If there is immediate risk of harm, call 999. For urgent non-emergency advice in Scotland, contact NHS 24 on 111 or speak with a GP.
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Recovery Scotland can offer confidential guidance about depression and addiction support options. We do not provide treatment directly, but we can help you understand next steps and possible referral routes.
Contact us or call 01475 303998.
A depressive episode is a period of low mood and other depression symptoms that lasts long enough and feels severe enough to affect everyday functioning. Symptoms can vary from person to person and may be mild, moderate or severe.
If alcohol or drug use is also present, it may be important to seek support that considers both mental health and substance use needs.
Depressive Episode Symptoms
Symptoms can include low mood, loss of interest, tiredness, sleep changes, appetite changes, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt or hopelessness, withdrawal from others and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
If you or someone else may be at immediate risk, call 999. For urgent non-emergency advice in Scotland, contact NHS 24 on 111 or a GP.
Types Of Depressive Episodes And Depressive Illnesses
Depression can be a far from simple illness to diagnose and treat. Some of the various mental health conditions that can lead to depressive episodes include the like of:
- Psychotic depression can cause both symptoms of psychosis and depression. This can be quite uncommon but very serious.
- Persistent depressive disorders will typically experience most of the above symptoms consistently for a two-year period (at minimum).
- Bipolar disorder can also cause people to experience elongated periods of depression. Depressive episodes, as well as manic episodes, can be managed with therapy and medication.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been known to cause its sufferers to exhibit symptoms of depression during the winter months.
- Postpartum depression can cause new mothers to exhibit severe periods of depression.
Now let’s have a look at some ways that you can help to deal with a depressive episode.
Tracking Your Triggers And Monitoring Your Own Symptoms
The severity of depressive episodes can fluctuate massively, so it is important to be always aware of your own mental health.
Keeping a diary and even rating on a scale from 0-10 on how you are currently feeling can be useful to help manage your own mental health as well as learn how to spot triggers that have led you into a depressive episode.
Triggers of depressive episodes are often unique to the individual suffering from the depressive episodes, and they can vary from being incredible specific actions/activities to more general situations and/or locations. Other possible triggers can often include the likes of:
- Significant and/or traumatic life events, such as a sudden loss, divorce, being the victim of an assault, or a car accident.
- Changes, sudden or otherwise, to your daily routines.
- Bad diet/eating habits
- Stress
- Certain medications
- Drug and/or alcohol abuse
- Abusive people in your environment
Understand That Your Depression Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of
Educating yourself more about the intricacies of depressive disorders can assist people in dealing with their burgeoning, or long-standing, conditions. Depression is a severe and genuine mental health disorder that affects many people from all various walks of life and can lead to substance abuse problems which require treatment.
It is not a sign of weakness or a personal shortcoming. Accepting that this is not something that you ought to be ashamed of is very important, and can help to manage symptoms alongside lifestyle alterations such as improved diet, exercise, and therapy.
Understand The Importance Of Proper Self-Care
Self-care, in its various forms, is crucial when it comes to experiencing good physical and mental health. Quite simply, self-care can be qualified as engaging with any action or activity that helps you to look after your own well-being.
This can simply take the form of finding time to relax and reconnect with yourself and loved ones, consuming a healthy diet, partaking in creative or physical activities frequently, or even something like enjoying a soothing bath.
Any action or behaviour that improves your emotional, mental, and also physical health should be thought of as engaging with self-care.
Therapy Can Help With Negative Thoughts
A GP or qualified mental health professional may recommend therapy, counselling, medication review where appropriate, crisis support, community mental health services or addiction support if alcohol or drug use is also a concern.
Recovery Scotland does not provide therapy or clinical treatment directly. Where appropriate, we can help people explore providers who assess mental health and substance use needs together and explain what follow-up support is available.
John Gillen
- Author
- Last updated: June 17, 2026
John has travelled extensively around the world, culminating in 19 years’ experience looking at different models. He is the European pioneer of NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) treatment to Europe in 2010; and recently back from the USA bringing state of the art Virtual Reality Relapse Prevention and stress reduction therapy. His passion extends to other metabolic disturbances and neurodegenerative diseases. The journey continues. In recent times, John has travelled to Russia to study and research into a new therapy photobiomudulation or systemic laser therapy working with NAD+ scientists and the very best of the medical professionals in the UK and the USA, together with Nadcell, Bionad Hospitals own select Doctors, nurses, dieticians and therapists. Johns’ passion continues to endeavour to bring to the UK and Europe new developments with NAD+ Therapy in preventive and restorative medicine and Wellness. In 2017 John Gillen was made a visiting Professor at the John Naisbitt university in Belgrade Serbia.