Depression

Depression does not look the same for everyone. Depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how you think, feel and behave. Depression can cause emotional, functional and physical problems too.

Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing hormones can bring a lot of up and down feelings and and negative thoughts. Depression isn't a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires professional mental health treatment.

What can depression look like?

Symptoms of Depression

Emotional changes

  • Feelings of sadness, which can include crying spells for no apparent reason

  • Frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters

  • Feeling hopeless or empty

  • Irritable or annoyed mood

  • Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities

  • Loss of interest in, or conflict with, family and friends

  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

  • Fixation on past failures or exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism

  • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

  • Ongoing sense that life and the future are grim and bleak

  • Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide


Behavioral changes

  • Tiredness and loss of energy

  • Insomnia or sleeping too much

  • Changes in appetite — decreased appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain

  • Use of alcohol or drugs

  • Agitation or restlessness — for example: pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still

  • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

  • Frequent complaints of unexplained body aches and headaches, which may include frequent visits to the school nurse

  • Poor school performance or frequent absences from school

  • Less attention to personal hygiene or appearance

  • Angry outbursts, disruptive or risky behavior, or other acting-out behaviors

  • Self-harm — for example: cutting, burning, or excessive piercing or tattooing

  • Making a suicide plan or a suicide attempt

Source: Mayo Clinic, 2018


Managing Depression Symptoms

Talk to someone

It's tempting to keep things bottled up inside, but talking about depression and how it's affecting your life is a crucial part of the healing process.

Find help

Seek support from a mental health professional such a therapist, a psychologist, and/ or a psychiatrist. Click on Find Resources below for a list of providers.

Self-care

Make an effort to stick to self-care routine, such as showering daily, talking walks, playing with your siblings, etc. Avoid drugs and alcohol. They can make your depression worse.


Seek Positivity

Seek out ways to enhance feelings of positivity and joy. Write down positive affirmations and read them out loud every day. Spend time with friends who are positive and support you.


Phone Apps

Happify

Free to download, mood-training program. Games, activity suggestions, gratitude prompts and more to train your brain as if it were a muscle, to overcome negative thoughts.

MoodTools

Free to download, support for people with clinical depression. Helpful videos that can improve your mood and behavior, log and analyze your thoughts using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles, develop a suicide safety plan, etc.