Feeling Depressed | Understanding Low Mood & Finding Support

🌧️ Feeling depressed

Most people have occasional low moods, but if you are depressed they become persistent. You may feel tearful and low, lack energy and confidence, and find it hard to concentrate or make decisions.

Sleep problems and loss of sex drive and appetite are common. Depression is often a reaction to a life event such as bereavement, or it may have no obvious cause. Lack of sunlight in winter makes some people feel sad, and 1 woman in 10 has depression after childbirth.

⚠️ WARNING: Seek immediate medical help if:

You are having suicidal thoughts
You are having thoughts of harming yourself or of harming your child

🩺 See your doctor first

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have feelings of depression that last longer than a week.

✨ What you can do yourself

🎯 Small goals

One step at a time

Set a small, achievable, pleasant goal for yourself each day, such as taking a walk around the block or having a special breakfast. Tackle only one problem at a time.

📻 Distract yourself

Shift your focus

If you have occasional sad or negative thoughts, distract yourself by listening to the radio or watching TV.

🧘 Reduce stress

Postpone big decisions

Try to avoid extra stress. If possible, postpone or delegate important decisions.

💬 Talk it out

Share your feelings

Don't bottle things up. Share your feelings and emotions with sympathetic relatives or close friends.

🥗 Eat regularly

Nourish your body

Choose foods that you enjoy, but make sure you include plenty of vegetables, fruit, bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes.

🏃 Move your body

Exercise lifts mood

Exercise helps you relax, improves sleep, and may reduce depression by releasing chemicals in the brain that improve mood.

🐟 Healthy fats

Essential fatty acids

Include foods such as oily fish and olive oil in your diet to boost your levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs).

🍷 Cut alcohol

Avoid quick fixes

Cut down or stop drinking alcohol. While it may appear to offer a "quick fix," alcohol can contribute to depression.

🚫 No recreational drugs

Stay clear

Stop using any recreational drugs, such as marijuana or ecstasy.

😴 Improve sleep

Reduce caffeine, no daytime naps

If your sleep is disturbed, try reducing your caffeine intake and avoid sleeping in the day.

☀️ Winter blues

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

If you are regularly depressed in the winter months, you may benefit from light treatment.

🌿 Natural remedies

🌸 St. John’s wort
A popular herbal remedy for mild depression.

⚠️ CAUTION: Check with your doctor first. Don’t use St. John’s wort if you are taking oral contraceptives, prescribed antidepressants, or any daily medication.

🐟 Essential fatty acids (EFAs)
Obtained from foods like olive oil, walnuts, and oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. Make sure your diet includes 2 or 3 portions a week of oily fish.

❄️ Practical tips · Coping with SAD

Try to get outdoors as much as possible on winter days.
Arrange work and home conditions so that you are exposed to as much natural light as possible. Work by a window if you can.
If possible, treat yourself to a short winter break in a sunny area of the country.
Some people find light therapy helpful using a special light box. Discuss what might be of value with your doctor before you invest in equipment.

🔄 Seek further medical advice

📅 Arrange to see your doctor if:

Your depression is becoming more severe and/or lasts longer than 2 weeks
You are taking prescribed antidepressant drugs and they are not having an effect within the timespan suggested by your doctor

💡 Remember: Depression is not a sign of weakness, and it is not something you can simply "snap out of." With the right support — from loved ones, self-care, and healthcare professionals — recovery is possible. You are not alone.