Low mood and depression:
Sometimes we all feel a bit down or stressed, and that’s completely normal. But if those feelings hang around for a long time and don’t seem to go away, it could be something more serious like depression. Depression can make you lose interest in things you usually enjoy, change your appetite or sleep patterns, and make you feel really tired even after a good night’s sleep. You might also feel sad, empty, or angry more often than usual and struggle to see or enjoy the good moments. It can be tough to concentrate and be present and you might feel like you’re not good enough, or experience feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness. Sometimes, depression even shows up as physical symptoms like headaches, changes in weight, digestive issues, fatigue, or cramps.
If these feelings start to affect your daily life, like making it hard to hang out with friends, keep up with school, or take care of yourself and everything feels overwhelming, it’s a sign that you might need some extra support. And if you ever have thoughts about hurting yourself or suicide, it’s really important to reach out for help right away. You can find crisis and emergency support services linked below, or you can visit the school psychologist or talk to a trusted adult in your life.
Remember, depression isn’t something you can just “snap out of,” but the good news is that there are people who care and want to help you. You don’t have to go through it alone, help is always available, and it’s okay (and super important) to ask for it.
Here’s a bit more information about depression:
Things you might notice:
Feeling sad or upset and not always knowing why.
Feeling hopeless or full of dread.
Having thoughts of hurting yourself.
Feeling unable to cope with things that used to come easily to you, like showering or brushing your teeth.
Not sleeping well for a long time or sleeping a lot more than usual.
Feeling exhausted all the time.
Losing interest in things you usually like to do.
Feeling numb or disconnected.
Feeling like you have lost your sense of self.
Feeling lonely or isolated.
Avoiding the people close to you.
Picking fights with whānau and friends.
Some things to try:
Things like karakia, prayers, mantras, mottos, quotes or proverbs are helpful to bring your focus away from these thoughts.
Write down how you are feeling – things in your life you are grateful for or goals for the future can help to make sense of your thoughts.
What gets you out of your head for a little while? Try listening to music you love, getting out of the house, helping a friend to run errands.
Move your body. Taking a short walk or getting a sweat up can help you feel better.
Spending time with people who lift you up – doing nothing together, sitting in comfortable silence, cooking a meal, watching a movie or talking about mental health and everything in between.
Kōrero – talking about what is going on for you can be hard. The people in your life want to support you, and they may have already noticed you haven’t been yourself recently.
If these feelings start to affect your daily life, like making it hard to hang out with friends, keep up with school, or take care of yourself and everything feels overwhelming, it’s a sign that you might need some extra support. And if you ever have thoughts about hurting yourself or suicide, it’s really important to reach out for help right away. You can find crisis and emergency support services linked below, or you can visit the school psychologist or talk to a trusted adult in your life.
Remember, depression isn’t something you can just “snap out of,” but the good news is that there are people who care and want to help you. You don’t have to go through it alone, help is always available, and it’s okay (and super important) to ask for it.