Depression

We all feel sad sometimes, it's a completely natural feeling, in fact its it's very unusual to feel happy every day. But if you start to feel sad most of the time and feel like it's taking over your life, you could be suffering from depression.

What is depression?

People with depression can feel hopelessly sad. This can manifest itself in losing or gaining weight, having no energy, feeling unmotivated, being unable to sleep and a feeling of worthlessness. This can feel like a black cloud that won't go away.

We give up on things that we used to enjoy like seeing friends, playing sport and instead turn to things like drink and drugs.

Other signs

• Feeling sad for weeks on end
• Feeling no interest in hobbies or seeing people
• No confidence
• Feeling useless or not good enough
• Feel like everything is pointless
• Feeling irritable, frustrated or angry

Depression can be treated so don't feel like you have to live with it - get some support

The best thing to do is to go and see your GP - they help people that are suffering from stress and depression every day and will be impressed that you've noticed something's wrong and are asking for help. They might prescribe you some medication or refer you to a counsellor or therapist.

Also try doing some of these:

• Talking to someone you trust about how you feel such as a friend or family member.
• Eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Green veg especially are great at tackling depression
• Do some exercise - regular exercise can have the same effect as taking antidepressant medication.
• Alcohol, drugs and cigarettes can mess up your head - so cut them out

And don't ever feel ashamed of feeling depressed. Admitting it and getting help is brave and will be the first step to getting your life back on track.