It’s normal to feel down sometimes, especially if something upsetting has happened. Sometimes, feeling low can be a constant feeling that you can’t seem to move on from- and it starts to affect your everyday life.

We can all feel low or down from time to time, it doesn’t mean necessarily that something is wrong, especially if we are feeling low after distressing events or big life changes. However, sometimes low mood happens for no obvious reason and can start to happen more frequently or for longer periods of time and this is when we might need to look for some support.

Read one of our young person’s experiences below with Depression and how Off the Record can help.

Ellen’s Story

16-year-old Ellen self-referred herself to OTR’s Listening Support service. Ellen’s presenting issue was that sometimes she felt very low, tearful, and with a loss of appetite. Her dad suffered from depression and her mum was always busy with work. She felt that she had no one to talk to and always put a ‘brave’ face on when with her friends. 

Although Ellen wasn’t that talkative, she relished coming to the sessions. It was a safe space for her, where she could be genuine with her feelings.

The main issue for Ellen was the fact that she couldn’t talk to her parents and that upset her the most.

Eventually, Ellen told her mum exactly how she was feeling, it was a really hard thing for her to do. Through the weeks with encouragement, she began to talk more with her parents. They now play an important role in her well-being. They are now listening to her, aware of her feelings, and helping her through her low moods.

Ellen is now using our Listening Support service every other week.

Depression can feel different for everyone, but some of the common signs and symptoms are below:

How you may feel:

  • Down/upset or tearful

  • Restless

  • Empty and numb

  • Isolated

  • Feeling low about your worth or confidence

  • Tired

  • Worried and/or anxious

How you may behave:

Not feeling like taking part in usual social events

Self-harming

Feeling indecisive or unable to think clearly

Sleep problems e.g., can’t sleep at all, disrupted sleep, or sleeping too much

No appetite or overeating

The link below will provide you with the resources to help you manage if you are struggling with family dynamics at home or please get in contact with us so we can find the best way to help you through this.