Coping with depression

Name: Campaign Against Living Miserably
Price range: $

Everyone experiences depression differently. This guide is here to help you learn more about the common symptoms of depression and ways to find help and support.

Illustration of an abstract green figure looking into a mirror.

At a glance

What is depression?
What does depression feel like?
Why do people get depressed?
Where can I find help?
Dealing with depression
Talking about depression

What is depression?

Feeling very low, empty, lethargic or sad often or for long periods of time
Having difficulty enjoying things that you usually do
There are lots of ways to deal with the symptoms associated with depression

Feeling down, out of sorts, or even a bit shit now and again is totally normal, but if you’re feeling unhappy or intensely sad for days, weeks or months, you might be experiencing depression.

If you're struggling with symptoms of depression it's important to get help. You can find tailored support for what you're going through here.

Anyone can experience depression at any time in their life. If you think you are struggling with depression, you’re not alone. According to the World Health Organisation, it affects over 200 million people worldwide, many of whom have not been diagnosed.

Depression can be mild, moderate or severe. There are effective psychological and medical treatments for moderate and severe depression. It’s important to find what works for you if you are struggling.

What does depression feel like?

Depression feels different for everybody who experiences it, but it can be categorised by prolonged periods of feeling low. Not everyone who has depression has every symptom, and the severity of those symptoms can vary from person to person, as well as from day to day.

So how do you know if you’re dealing with depression? A doctor or health care professional can diagnose you with depression, but lots of people don’t realise they are experiencing a mental health issue. That’s partly because depression can be experienced in a whole host of ways - some of which you might just consider ‘normal’. If you are experiencing depression you might feel some, or none, of the following:

Feeling low regularly and for long periods of time
Finding it difficult to enjoy life
Struggling to motivate yourself
Having low confidence or self esteem
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Being irritable or angry more often
Finding it tough to find a way forward
Experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself
Not wanting to be around friends and family or social situations

And it’s not all in your head, depression can also have physical symptoms. You might experience some of the following:

Lack of energy
Low sex drive
Unexplained aches and pains
Changes in appetite or weight
Increased smoking, drinking or taking drugs
Moving or speaking slower than usual
Difficulty sleeping or disturbed sleep

There is a perception that people who are depressed stay in bed all day, but that’s not the case. Many people who experience depression function normally from day to day and can be very successful in their lives and careers. For example, you might be going about your normal life, but inside feel very low – this is sometimes referred to as high functioning depression.

You can find more about the symptoms of depression here. If you think you are experiencing depression your GP can help.

Person lying on a bed checking their phone

A close-up portrait of a man with short dark hair and a beard looking directly at the camera.

Why do people get depressed?

There’s no single reason people experience depression. Depression is a result of a combination of different things, including your genes, your background and life circumstances, as well as psychological factors. Depression can be triggered by your personal situation, a recent or old trauma, or any stressful situation, but it can also be triggered for no obvious reason at all.

If this all feels a bit overwhelming, remember there are loads of ways to deal with the symptoms associated with depression. You won't feel this way forever. Millions of people deal with depression every single day in the UK – so if you’re struggling with depression, you're not alone. Help is available. The first step is talking to someone about how you're feeling, this could be a trusted friend or family member, medical professional, or a helpline.

If you're struggling to move forward or are feeling suicidal because of depression you can speak to CALM in confidence.

CALM’s professional helpline staff are available from 5pm to midnight every day. They can help you explore how you’re feeling and will talk things through without judgement. They'll give practical advice and suggestions to help you find a way to get help and feel better. Find out more about CALM's helpline here.

Where can I find help?

If you're feeling suicidal or have thoughts of harming yourself, talk to CALM. Our helpline is open from 5pm to midnight every day. Find out more here.
Outside of these hours, calls the Samaritans on 116 123
Contact your GP for an appointment
You can refer yourself to NHS Psychological Therapies.
Students Against Depression.
Find more places to get help with anger here.
You can get your thoughts and emotions out of your head using our Offload Your Thoughts tool. It can help you let off steam and get some perspective on what you're going through.

Dealing with depression

Distractions are useful in getting a break from feelings that can be overwhelming so watch that film, go for that run or belt out that favourite song. It is important to face up to your feelings and allow some space for them, though. So why not pick up the phone, reach out to a friend or seek professional support to help you understand and challenge your thoughts.

Here’s some practical tips from our helpline that might help:

Challenge negative thought patterns. Try and change “I can’t do this because” to “I can do this because”
Talk it out with family/ friends or a helpline
List what you like about yourself
Do something nice for someone else
Exercise & keep active, particularly outdoors. A 15 minute walk can be enough to make a difference to how you’re feeling
Reconnect to nature – ideally go outside, but even looking at the trees and changing seasons outside your window can have an impact
Get creative. Doodle, draw, paint, cook, bake, knit, or write a song/story/poem
Make a list at the end of every day of three things that have gone well, or that you are grateful for
Remember, for it is true, this too will pass.

Talking about depression

It can be difficult to talk about depression with your friends, family or a medical professional. Here’s some ways you can start a conversation around how you’re feeling:

“I need to talk to you about how I’m feeling. Things are tough, and I think I might be feeling depressed. I don’t need you to find a solution, I just want to share how i feel”
“I need to talk – I’ve been struggling with [ ] and think I might be experiencing depression.”
“You might have noticed i’ve not been around so much lately. I’ve been finding things difficult, and think I might be depressed.”