Talking about Depression
The famous psychiatrist, Ann Morrison, is giving a seminar on depression to a small group of
students. The audience are invited to share their experiences…
Ann Morrison: As human beings, every one of us faces feelings of depression at some time
in our lives. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest which can affect
our daily lives - has anyone ever experienced this?
Speaker 1: Well, sometimes, I feel like I don’t want to wake up because I wake up into a
nightmare of feeling depressed and lonely. It’s hard for anyone else to understand…
Ann Morrison: Anyone who has suffered from depression will tell you that one of the
hardest things about it is feeling isolated. Depression itself is hard enough to manage, but
when you feel like others don’t understand you or even that they’re judging you or looking
down on you, it only makes your feelings more intense, and it makes it more difficult to cope.
Speaker 2: You’ve hit the nail on the head! That’s exactly how I feel every day. The feeling
of isolation is the worst...
Ann Morrison: People grow to feel like they are alone, and this intense feeling of isolation
makes them feel as if no one will ever truly understand them. Sometimes, you can be
surrounded by a lot of people, but you can feel lonelier than when you are by yourself. To
overcome this kind of feeling, you should try to find ways to keep yourself feeling relaxed
and try to stop worrying and overthinking.
Speaker 3: As far as I can understand, to fight the feeling of depression, we must not isolate
ourselves from the others. Being social is the only way we can feel happy and cheerful.
Ann Morrison: Exactly, depression can impair a person's social skills and it makes them
want to be around others less. They often become withdrawn, shy, and even angry.
Speaker 4: I suffer from depression, and I feel quite worried about my behaviour, but I find
it very difficult to change...
Ann Morrison: Well, it takes time to change yourself, but if you are determined, nothing can
stop you. First of all, you need to find ways to take care of yourself and your wellbeing.
Exercise is the best method for improving your overall mood and mental health.
Speaker 5: Thank you for your informative and clear explanations today - it has been a very
useful seminar for us…
PHRASAL VERBS
Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example sentence | Categories |
|---|---|---|---|
To let down someone | To make someone disappointed when you have not fulfilled a promise. | She promised that she would be there but she let me down. | Feelings |
To break down | 1. To become very upset. 2. When something stops working | 1. She broke down when she opened her results. 2. The lift broke down. | Feelings |
To bring somebody/something down | 1. To make someone lose their powerful position. 2. To make something end. | 1. He brought his boss down by exposing personal emails. 2. The rise in export prices could bring the hospitality industry down. | Feelings |
To bottle something up | To refuse to talk about things when someone is worried or upset. | After his father passed away, he bottled his emotions up and wouldn’t talk to anyone. | Feelings |
To get something across | To make someone believe or understand something | He tried to get his point across but his manager wouldn’t listen. | Feelings |