Champix & Depression

Unfortunately, one side effect that can take place after taking Champix is feelings of depression. It is not a pleasant experience, although the good news is that it can be dealt with. But what exactly is depression, and how can it affect you?

Depression symptoms

Depression has both mental and physical symptoms, which can stop you from doing day to day activities. Some of the mental symptoms include:


  • Prolonged feeling of sadness and lack of self-worth
  • Low self-esteem
  • Overwhelming feelings of guilt
  • Agitated
  • Anxiety or difficulty making decisions
  • Self-harming or suicidal thoughts

Some of the physical symptoms which accompany these are:

  • Moving at a slower pace
  • Unexplainable pains
  • Change in your eating habits
  • Little energy
  • Insomnia

These symptoms mean that depression can affect your private, work and social life in a negative way as you may be unable to physically complete tasks. This can be because of negative feelings such as lack of motivation and self-worth, and because of the physical toll that depression can take on your body.

Types of depression

It is very easy to give the general term to someone suffering ‘depression’; however there are different types of depression. For example, depression is divided into three categories; mild depression, moderate depression and severe depression. The severity of your depression increases in each of the categories, measured by how much your depression affects your ability to complete daily tasks.

There are also other forms of depression which are not always recognised as ‘depression’. These include:

  • Bipolar disorder – a type of depression where the patient feels extreme depression but also experiences periods of extremely happy emotions. This can also be called ‘manic depression’.
  • Postnatal depression – a type of depression that women get post pregnancy
  • Seasonal affective disorder – a type of depression which occurs during a particular season, normally during winter

Treatment for depression

The good news is that if you have depression, you do not have to drown in your sorrow. There are a number of treatments, which include:

  • Exercise – as bizarre as it sounds, exercise has been proven to help depression as it will boost your energy levels and release endorphins
  • Therapy – this can be in the form of self-help groups, or a counsellor. Expressing your emotions will help relieve your inner sadness and turmoil
  • Antidepressants – there are over 30 types of antidepressants available which can be prescribed by a doctor

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