This initial unit explores what it is like to experience depression. It will look at several viewpoints from our experts whilst considering what the literature tells us about depression. To clarify the term experts, these can be experts by experience - individuals who have kindly agreed to share their personal experiences of depression so you can gain a real-life view of the experience of depression, or health and social care practitioners sharing their professional experiences from their compassionate perspective.

Within this unit you will look at how depression presents itself from a diagnostic perspective. Depression, for many, may not be the only health difficulty they have. This can therefore create difficulties in the identification of a depressive illness. Although this unit does not have all the answers, it does offer a window of opportunity to find out more about these issues and consider the compassionate way depression can be viewed.

This unit focuses on behaviour and its influence on the way we think and feel. You will look at different activities and the impact that these can have on our well-being. It is intended that this is a very interactive unit, and you will be encouraged to participate in activities (whether you deem yourself as experiencing or having experienced depression or not).

In the final unit you will learn how to identify negative thoughts and understand unhelpful thinking styles within depression. You will have the opportunity to practice some strategies to address negative thoughts and explore the nature of our evolutionary mind.