Student Health - depression, stress, anxiety

Depression involves everyone - either directly or through their friends and family. It is important that you know the signs and what to do in case you find yourself or someone close to you suffering from depression.

Depression is a feeling of constant sadness in which the person feels unable to cope with things as they usually do. People may become depressed due to their situation or because of physical problems linked to changes in hormone, brain chemical and blood sugar levels.

Possible causes include: Bereavement, difficulties at work, money worries, housing problems, physical illness, relationship problems, distressing events, loneliness, unemployment or redundancy, or a change in lifestyle.

Signs

Friends and family may notice any of the following signs if someone close to them is depressed:

Tearfulness (more than two weeks)
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Sleeping more or less than usual.
Change in eating habit or a loss of interest in food.
Irritability or increased anxiety.
Loss of sex drive.
Increased drinking and smoking.
Avoiding family and friends.
Extremely negative attitudes and an inability to enjoy anything.
Suicidal thoughts.
Slovenliness and lethargy.

Action

Depression can last between three months and two years but the treatment rates are very successful. Using a combination of anti-depressant medication, and therapy such as counselling, increased exercise, yoga or alternative medicines, 90% of cases are successfully treated.

Help Yourself

If you think that you might be depressed talk to someone close to you that you can trust and seek further help from your GP. If this course of action fails or should want further advice contact one of the helplines below. Do not be afraid and do not feel alone, there is help available and you can get through it.

Help Someone else

First of all, do not under any circumstances try phrases such as: “cheer up”, “pick yourself up”, or “pull yourself together”. It is not a nice situation to be in and if people could “shake it off” they most definitely would and hence would not be depressed. Do not criticise or blame them, being depressed is very different from being ‘a bit under the weather’.

Encourage them to talk about their worries, fears, and what they think is causing the depression. Discuss the future in terms of solutions, and sources of help and support but do not lecture and try to let them come up with the ideas and decisions as it is they who must take the steps to recovery.

Encourage them to visit their doctor and to use the existing support services and networks to their benefit. You can help them understand the advice given, encourage them to take their medication correctly, and collect relevant support information for them.

Other things that might help:

Encourage them to attend to their personal appearance as this may raise their self esteem.

Try to involve them in a hobby or start a new one together.

Encourage them to eat healthy foods and to eat regularly.

Encourage gentle exercise and perhaps exercise with them.

Remind them that depression CAN be treated successfully.

Discourage alcohol and caffeine.

Help them to feel good about themselves by praising them and highlighting achievements.

Above all the requirement is for you to help them to help themselves. To do this well it might help you if you read up on depression from the literature available from the helplines below or your GP.

Information and Advice

Young Minds 0800 0182138

CALM (For young men) 0800 585858

The Samaritans 0345 90 90 90

SANELINE 0345 678000 (2pm-12pm)

The Depression Alliance 020 7633 9929