Depression

Depression is very common and everyone feels fed up, sad, unhappy, miserable at times. Sometimes we know that there is a cause for our depression - maybe we have just broken up from a relationship, maybe someone we were close to has died, we may have failed exams, we may be ill - but other times there doesn't seem to be one cause - it may be a build up of problems, feeling unable to cope with life and we are not really sure why.

#people can get a variety of symptoms when they feel very depressed#

-general feelings of unhappiness which don't go away.

-having no interest in life.

-finding it difficult to concentrate and make even easy decisions.

-having no feeling of enjoyment in life.

-not wanting to go out or mix with people but spending a lot of time on your own.

-feeling very tired and having no energy.

-finding it difficult to sleep and waking up frequently during the night.

-having no appetite and eating very little

-losing self confidence and feeling worthless.

-being very irritable, anxious, impatient.

-feeling very negative about life.

-having suicidal thoughts.


#what can I do to help myself#

-don't bottle things up - find someone to talk to about how you are feeling.
Make sure you get plenty of exercise and plenty of fresh air. You will find that even if you do a quick walk every day and a short period of other exercise each day you will start to feel physically and emotionally stronger and more able to cope.
-make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet - eat little and often and don't skip meals. If you are not eating properly you will feel more depressed and listless.
-try and keep busy - to keep your mind occupied.
-do things you enjoy to relax, treat yourself and take care of yourself.
-try and get to bed at a regular time. If you find it difficult to sleep listen to the radio/tv/read and you may find you drop off to sleep more easily.
-don't resort to unhealthy ways of dealing with your problems like drinking, taking drugs, cutting, eating disorders.
-ask for help when you need it.
-try to stop thinking in a negative way - when you think a negative thought try and replace it with a positive one.
-if you need a hug ask someone you trust - this can make you feel that someone really does care how you are feeling.