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.