Updated : August 1, 2022 3 mins read
Updated : August 1, 2022 3 mins read
Children and young people told us that they felt like civilian friends, teachers and decision-makers don’t understand their specific mental health and wellbeing challenges.
We listened and secured funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund to work with children and young people to make Your Mind Matters happen.
The information that we put together in these pages are for informational purposes and should never be used as medical advice or instead of advice given to you from a health professional.
If you have any concerns about your mental health then you should always speak to a mental health professional or your GP.
We do our very best to put together information that gives you a good understanding of mental health issues and what can help but it is not intended as medical advice and we do not take responsibility that it is accurate or up to date at the time of reading.
Would you like to talk to us about depression?
Contact usIt is classified as a mood disorder, and you may have heard it referred to as this. However, we all may experience depression throughout our lives but it’s important to note that this experience can be a normal reaction to certain situations.
As with many other aspects of our mental health, there are plenty of different explanations behind why depression occurs. Some are biological, with many scientists believing that there is a genetic component, whilst others are psychological. This also means that there are many ways of treating and managing depression.
For many of us, depression may occur as a reaction to certain situations. This is often known as situational or reactive depression, and it can be seen as our body’s way of telling us to rest and heal. Situational depression may occur due to a build-up of stress, anxiety, and big life events. It can sometimes feel as if you’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, or as if you are a juice bottle that has been shaken up and ready to burst!
Situational or reactive depression can be a normal reaction to difficult circumstances. It’s important to note that situational depression is still a form of depression. Clinical depression, which is a phrase you might have heard before, simply means that a doctor has diagnosed you with depression.
As depression is a normal reaction to many different situations, how can we manage this both before it happens and during?
One key thing is to be aware of when your emotions may change. As a teenager, it is perfectly normal to feel out of control of your emotions sometimes and feeling sad doesn’t automatically turn into depression.
Depression can be characterised by feelings of sadness that last for weeks at a time. There is also a loss in interest of things you used to like doing before, such as hobbies or sports.
Depression and anxiety are very closely linked, and the physical symptoms of anxiety might be felt if you are experiencing depression.
You may experience changes in your sleep, such as sleeping too much or not enough. Eating may also be difficult. It’s important to remember though that if you are experiencing some of these symptoms that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
You can always speak to your GP, or someone in your wellbeing network.
Get Help now
If you are concerned about your mental health, or if you have found yourself feeling concerned about someone else, you can:
Call 111 – NHS 24
Call 116 123 – The Samaritans
Call 0800 83 85 87 – Breathing Space
Text: ‘YM’ to 85258 – Young Minds crisis chat
If you think you are in danger of hurting yourself or other people, you should call 999 or present to your local A&E department.
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