Use our Take Action against Depression and Anxiety self-help resources to kick-start a campaign against depression in your own life. Working through the modules offers a personalised step-by-step pathway to apply relevant information and strategies for overcoming your depression.
Each module can either be downloaded in separate individual sections, or with all sections together in one document. For each module, the full document containing all the sections in the module in one is listed first, with individual sections listed separately underneath.
Module 1 – Make a safety plan
Both suicidal thoughts and urges to self harm are a lot more common than people realise, and arise from understandable causes and intentions. This module helps you to make more sense of your suicidal or self-harming urges and to take responsibility for planning to keep yourself safe.
Module 1 – Make A Safety Plan (sections 1-2)
Module 2 – Build Your Support Network
Depression thrives on isolation and inappropriate ‘independence’. Relying on others when appropriate is an important life skill, and vital when depression is beating you down. It is always advisable to seek professional support if you think you may be depressed. Use this module to find the right support, and build a secure network with a variety of support options.
Module 2 – Build Your Support Network (sections 1-4)
2. Building my Support Network
3. Consulting Counsellors and Doctors
Module 3 – Self help first steps
When depression gets a foothold in your life, it quickly takes hold in the form of a series of mutually reinforcing habits. This module gets you started on the simplest and most effective initial strategies for turning this spiral around. Take Action
Module 3 – Self Help First Steps (sections 1-4)
Module 4 – Healthier daily routines
Depression often affects the basics of daily life – sleep, eating, exercise, and socialising. Problems in these areas then in turn quickly reinforce the downward spiral of depression. Making small changes to build healthier daily routines can make a very big difference to how you feel and this module gets you started.
Module 4 – Healthier Daily Routines (sections 1-7)
1. Monitoring Your Daily Routines
3. Understanding Food and Mood
Module 5 – Understand your depression
Understanding how depression works and what triggers and factors may have made you personally vulnerable to depression helps you plan the most effective strategies and gives the best foundation for overcoming depression in the long term. This module helps you understand your own depression better as the basis for taking a more self-compassionate attitude.
Module 5 – Understanding Your Depression (sections 1-4)
1. How Depression is Affecting Me
4. Framework For Understanding My Depression
Module 6 – Change your thinking
Changing the attitudes and patterns of thinking that maintain depression is one of the most effective longer-term strategies for overcoming depression and building resistance to its return. The strategies covered in this module are based on the techniques of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which has a strong evidence-base as an effective therapy for both anxiety and depression.
Module 6 – Change Your Thinking (sections 1-4)
