Members of the public are being invited to attend a major conference on depression and bipolar disorder, which is set to take place in Dublin in October.

Aware, Ireland's national charity supporting people affected by these conditions, is hosting the conference to mark World Mental Health Day (October 10).

Depression and bipolar disorder are mental health conditions that affect our thinking, energy, feelings and behaviour. An estimated 450,000 people in Ireland experience depression at any one time, while around 45,000 people have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder here.

Over 500 people are expected to attend the conference, which will look at the conditions throughout the life cycle. Guest speakers will include:
-Prof John Sheehan, a consultant in perinatal psychiatry, who will speak about managing depression and bipolar disorder in pregnancy and during the postpartum period
-Clinical psychotherapist, Dr Joanna Fortune, who will look at the impact a parent's mental health can have on children and teenagers
-Consultant psychiatrist, Dr Declan Lyons, who will talk about the older generation and why doctors struggle to diagnose late-life depression
-Consultant psychiatrist and founder of Aware, Dr Patrick McKeon, who will provide insights on living well with depression and bipolar disorder.

Accoding to Bríd O'Meara, Aware's director of services, Ireland has come "a great distance in recent years in our awareness of depression and bipolar disorder in society".

"Thanks to people who have been willing to share their experiences, there is much greater openness, acceptance and understanding of the mental health difficulties which people face.

"We have assembled doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, cognitive behavioural therapists, as well as people who have a lived experience of depression and bipolar disorder, to share their experiences. Delegates will have an opportunity to hear everything from the latest therapeutic developments, to how to eat and sleep our way to better mental health," she explained

The conference, 'Future of Depression and Bipolar Disorder', will take place in O'Reilly Hall, University College Dublin (UCD) on Saturday, October 12, starting at 9.30am. The fee for members of the public to attend is €30. For more information or to book a place, click here.

According to Aware, depression has eight main symptoms and if you experience five or more of these for at least two weeks, you should visit your GP. The symptoms are:
-Feeling sad, anxious or guilty
-Low energy, tiredness and fatigue
-Disrupted sleep patterns
-Thinking can be slowed down with poor concentration
-Interest in hobbies, family and social life is reduced
-Value of self is diminished leading to low self-esteem
-Aches and pains can be experienced
-Life is challenging, with loss of interest in living and possible suicidal thoughts

Meanwhile, bipolar disorder can affect people in different ways. It usually involves two phases - the depression phase as outlined above, and an elation phase, which has eight main symptoms:
-Feeling elated, enthusiastic, excited, angry, irritable or depressed
-Energy is increased and the person can become over-talkative or over-active
-Sleep need is reduced along with a marked difficulty in going to sleep
-Thinking is affected by racing thoughts, indecision, jumping from one topic to another, poor concentration, and a feeling of pressure in the head
-Interest is increased in pleasurable activities, such as new adventures, sex, alcohol, street drugs, religion, music and art
-Value of self is increased leading to high self-esteem and a feeling of being able to achieve anything
-Aches and pains disappear
-Life can seem extremely exciting, thinking one can live forever and taking reckless physical risks. If angry or distressed, a person can have suicidal thoughts.

For more information on Aware, click here.