Depression

What is Depression?

Depression is a mental health condition where you feel very down all or most of the time.

All of us will feel sad or low in mood at times; it’s a normal part of being human. But if these feelings continue for a long time and start to make everyday life difficult, then you may be experiencing depression. Doctors sometimes refer to this as clinical depression, major depression, or major depressive disorder (MDD).

Depression can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, culture, faith or anything else. There isn’t always a clear reason why you begin to experience depression, but sometimes there will be, like if you have gone through difficult life events. For example:

if you have lost someone you care about and you’re struggling to cope
if something difficult is going on in your personal life
if you’re struggling at school, university or work
if you’re experiencing discrimination, like racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia or transphobia
if you’re having money troubles or you’re in debt

Whatever the reason you are feeling depressed, it is not your fault and you deserve help.

Although it can be hard to feel optimistic when you’re struggling with your mood, support is available and there are things you can do to feel better.

Symptoms and signs of depression

All people experience depression differently, but common symptoms of depression include:

feeling sad, upset and down often or all of the time
feeling more irritable than usual
feeling numb or empty
not wanting to do things that you previously enjoyed
avoiding friends or social situations
sleeping more or less than usual
eating more or less than usual
struggling to concentrate
being self-critical
feeling hopeless
feeling tired and not having any energy
feeling guilty, or like you’re a burden on your loved ones
wanting to hurt yourself or end your life

Experiencing one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you definitely have depression. Equally, you may have depression and not experience all of these symptoms. Whether you recognise one, some or all of these symptoms, the important thing is to get the help that you deserve.

Getting help for depression

If you think you might be experiencing depression, it’s really important that you speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling – this could be a friend, a family member, a teacher, or anyone else in your life that you feel comfortable speaking to. Sharing how you’re feeling is often the first step to better understanding your depression and making changes to feel better. You don’t need to face this alone.

You might be worried about how the people in your life will react, or that they won’t understand, especially if they have a different understanding of mental health. But however you’re feeling is valid, and there are helplines you can contact if you don’t feel able to talk to someone you know – see the bottom of this page.

Talking to someone about your mental health may feel scary, but we have information and advice that can really help.

What to do if you think you or someone you love might be affected?

There are many professional associations who have huge amount of information about depression, the symptoms of depression and how to treat it. Have a look at their websites to get more information. You can also contact us and we’ll try and put you in touch with someone who you can talk to.

GET IN TOUCH

If you need help you can try a number of things:

Exercise

Regular exercise does more than build muscles. It also releases chemicals in the brain that improve mood and relaxation, and tires muscles releases feel-good endorphins in the brain and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being. Working out and other forms of physical activity can definitely ease symptoms of depression or anxiety and make you feel better. Exercise may also help keep depression and anxiety from coming back once you’re feeling better.

A Healthy Diet

A healthy body is often the key to a healthier mind. Eating fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, lean proteins and the occasional treat allows the body to build a healthy heart, lungs, and muscles that will in turn lessen the strain that anxiety and depression causes the body. What it comes down to is that what we eat matters for every aspect of our health, but especially our mental health. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring just find what you enjoy eating.

Positive Feedback

Letting a child or a teen know that they are worthwhile and can do whatever they set their minds to will help them to retain a sense of worth as a person when mood swings and teenage drama get them down. Even when they do something stupid due to a lack of judgment, it is good to be as supportive as possible.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way for teens and young adults to get time to themselves and also a method of teaching them to discipline their minds and bodies to work for rather than against them. Learning controlled breathing techniques and how to relax their minds will help them to cope with all the stresses they face on a daily basis and provide them with a drug and risk-free method of escaping reality.

Joining a Club

Finding a club to join is a good idea even for young people that are not as comfortable in social situations. Clubs allow them to engage in activities they are passionate about, with people who share the same interests, rather than forcing them to assimilate socially. Having people to talk to and activities to do, whether it’s knitting, reading, playing chess or protecting animal rights, is a reliable way to relieve stress and promote positivity and purpose.

Self-Help Books or Groups

Self-help books are a more private way of seeking help, while groups offer support from peers going through similar challenges. These types of resources can provide children, teens and young adults with tips and philosophies to help them to cope better with their symptoms and to prevent them from controlling their lives.

Therapy and Coaching

There are many different forms of therapy, which generally involve talking about your thoughts, feelings and life experiences with a trained professional, either on your own or as part of a group. This process can help you to spot unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and think about what you can do to change these patterns.

Medication

Your doctor may also prescribe you antidepressant medication. Antidepressants treat the symptoms of depression, so they can make you feel better, but they are unlikely to deal with the causes of your depression. For this reason, doctors often prescribe medication like antidepressants alongside some form of therapy.