it is time to talk about depression, the silent illness that is taking so many lives.
Depression, we hear about it every day. A lot of people are talking about it. But do we know what it is?
That is the thing. Depression is a lot more common than we think, it is a lot more complex than we assume and we need to start talking about it. According to statistics, we are likely to know at least one person in our lives that are suffering from depressive symptoms.
It can actually be normal to feel depressed at least one stage of our lives. A stressful job, a breakup, things going wrong, there's a lot of things that can make us feel like we are depressed. Life can be stressful at times, and can lead us to feel like things are getting too much. However, there is a strong difference between feeling depressed and having depression. Feeling depressed can leave us feeling sad, it can make us feel like we are unable to eat, sleep and to socialise as normally as we often would. However, it is proven that the symptoms of feeling depressed are likely to only last a few weeks and are unlikely to stop you from completing normal day to day activities. But what about when things get a lot worse than this?
The signs of depression..
Knowing the signs of depression and knowing what to do if you feel that you, or someone you know is showing signs of depression is so important and this could actually save someone’s life. I believe that everyone should have an idea of what the signs are, if each and every person has a strong awareness of what depression is, we could actually begin to save more lives and help those around us. And even ourselves.
Common symptoms can include..
- Feeling sadness, and/or having an "empty feeling"
- loss of interests in things you would usually enjoy (socialising, hobbies)
- in ability to sleep, or sleeping too much.
- fatigue, and having low motivation. Normal activities can feel impossible.
- Feeling like your life is not worth living, and you'd be better off not here.
What to do if you feel like you have depression, or know someone that does.
If you know someone that is being distant with you, or is spending too much time at home when they used to enjoy socialising, or just not being themselves in general. Maybe its time to talk. Check on them and make sure they are ok, sparking up a conversation with someone could be life changing for that person, it could be the reason that person chooses to stay alive.
Feeling the signs of depression can make you feel like one of the loneliest in the world, but you are definitely not alone and there are so many people out there who are able to understand. Depression is powerful, but with the right support.. you can beat it, depression doesn’t have to rule your life. The first step to take - is talk to someone. It seems difficult, but there are people out there that will be able to support you. Talk to a friend, a family member. If talking to someone close is too much for you, there’s always the option of talking to a stranger (check the resources page). It also is so important to go and see a GP, as they will be able to refer you for therapy or prescribe you with some medication. It can feel difficult, but the right people will always be there to support you.
Society can often make us feel like we are weak for needing help, sometimes it can feel silly. But you are definitely not weak and you deserve help. Even if you feel like you don’t. Please don’t give up. Depression can make you feel like there is nothing to live for, that is the dark depression taking over the brightness in our minds, just like the dark nights, the sun always rises. There’s always light at the end of every tunnel. Focus on that light and don’t look back. I promise you that there is something to live for. You can fight this.
We've discussed common symptoms of depression. However, a lot of people find it easier to hide how they feel.
Sometimes it’s the happiest of people that are the ones suffering. This is why it is important to even spark a conversation with your strongest of friends. We often assume that just because someone is doing well, they must be happy. But this isn’t always the case. This year we have seen a number of celebrities unfortunately end their life by suicide. Mike Thalassitis from love island was one of the most popular contestants to ever appear on the show, he appeared to be such a strong character, he was good looking, popular, he attracted so much girl’s attention. He was famous. But deep down, he was suffering from depression and had been for some time. Things like this need to make us realise, depression can happen to anyone. Our most confident of friends, our successful friends. A lot of people complicate who depression can happen to; a lot of people associate poor mental health with people who appear to be less successful in life. But we need to remember and realise that depression can happen to anyone. It doesn’t discriminate. Make today the day that you speak to your friends, or even a stranger. you never know what it could do for someone. If you are feeling down, or you feel that you may have depression. Make this the day that you talk to someone.
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