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How it all began; the history of Depression Alliance
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How it all began; the history of Depression Alliance
1970's - the beginning
In 1973 a television play about postnatal depression, Baby Blues, provoked an enormous reaction from thousands of people who had experienced various forms of depression. Janet Stephenson, a nurse from Dorset, responded to this obvious and urgent need by establishing a correspondence service offering support to those affected by the condition. In 1979 this service was registered as a charity and adopted the name of Depressives Associated.
1980's - sharing experiences
By the mid-eighties a free newsletter - initially handwritten and photocopied - was being distributed to the organisation's 600 members. Self-help groups, providing the opportunity for people affected by depression to share experiences and coping strategies, were established and the organisation also began to produce its own information sheets.
The 1990's - a time of expansion and development
By 1992 the volunteers of Depressives Associated were responding to a rapidly growing demand, receiving over 14,500 requests for information a year. That same year they moved into their first office in South London and appointed their first member of staff. In 1995 the charity became Depression Alliance at a formal event in the House of Commons.
Depression Alliance in the new millennium
Since this time Depression Alliance has undergone a period of tremendous expansion and development and more recently, one of crisis and consolidation. Regional offices have been created in Edinburgh (1997) and Cardiff (1998), and the national network of self-help groups has grown to over 150. We also offer specialist self-help groups for ethnic minority groups, gay and lesbian groups, and for prisoner's families. The organisation now employs nine staff and has over 3000 members as well as thousands of supporters. We co-ordinate a range of mutual support services, including a correspondence scheme and a pen-friend service.
We now respond to over 40,000 requests for information and support every year, and our popular website (www.depressionalliance.org) is visited by more than 5,000 people every week.
Informed by the experiences of people who have had depression and by our extensive research, we also campaign to raise greater awareness of depression amongst the general public. As well as organising a variety of events and initiatives, including our highly successful National Depression Week, we have also serviced the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Clinical Depression and promote and disseminate good practice in primary care for patients affected by depression.
Depression Alliance has made real progress in supporting those affected by depression, and in changing the way in which the public looks at the condition. We are now recognised by the media, healthcare practitioners, psychiatrists and government agencies as well as those affected by depression, as the UK's leading charity in our field. Our work is partly funded by government and corporate grants although changes in the way charities are funded means that money for core functions is difficult to source. We are increasingly reliant on the generosity of the public to continue and develop our services but whilst depression remains an unappealing cause, shrouded in stigma, this becomes more and more difficult.
As we enter the twenty first century, depression remains one of the most common, albeit misconstrued, medical conditions in Britain today. The need for Depression Alliance is as great as ever.
From its inception 27 years ago in Janet Stephenson's living room to the national organisation it is today, Depression Alliance has made momentous progress. Although we currently offer help to thousands of people every year, there is still much to be done. We aim to further develop our activities in response to the needs of people affected by depression, especially through quality self-help and self-management initiatives and support services. We also have a vital role to play in collaboration with the Government, Health Authorities, Trusts, primary care providers and our partners in the voluntary sector to enable all healthcare professionals to provide the improved and effective services required by the National Service Framework for Mental Health and the NNS National Plan'
Jim Thomson, Director of Depression Alliance
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