History

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. By the mid-eighties, the self-help groups network, providing the opportunity for people affected by depression to share experiences and coping strategies, was established and the organisation began to produce its own information sheets.

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.

Since this time, Depression Alliance has undergone a period of tremendous expansion and development. Regional offices have been created in Edinburgh (1997) and Cardiff (1998), and the national network of self-help groups has gone from strength to strength.
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.

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.

Depression Alliance depends on donations to continue its vital work. To show your support please CLICK HERE to Donate using our secure donation page.