Everyone goes through tough times at different points in their lives. Feeling sad or fed up is a normal reaction to these experiences. At other times you may feel sad or fed up for no obvious reason.
Anybody can experience depression.
This is a guide for young people who have low mood or depression.
We have a separate guide for adults about helping a child or teenager with depression.
Low mood or depression
Telling the difference between normal sadness or low mood and depression can be difficult.
Check if you have low mood
If you have low mood you may feel:
- tired or have low energy
- sad
- anxious or worried
- like crying
- frustrated (disappointed and unhappy)
- hopeless
You may also:
- not be able to concentrate
- not have much confidence
- have trouble sleeping or sleep more than usual
- withdraw from friends and family
- find it hard to make decisions
- eat less than usual or overeat
- have big changes in weight
- be unable to relax, or have less energy than usual
- feel guilty or worthless
- feel empty or unable to feel emotions
- have thoughts about suicide or self-harming
Some things that are a sign of low mood may not mean you have depression. They can be caused by low confidence or anxiety.
It's important to ask yourself:
- how long you have been feeling like this
- if these feeling and emotions come and go, or are they there all the time
- if these feelings are having an impact on your daily life - for example, work, school, study, social life or family
Longer-lasting depression
Clinical depression is the name for more severe, longer-lasting feelings of sadness or low mood.
The symptoms vary from person to person.
Often with clinical depression:
- you feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy
- you feel like this for at least 2 weeks
- these feelings are serious enough to affect your work, study, social or family life
There are many other symptoms of depression.
For example, you may:
- feel unwell
- avoid contact with friends
- take part in fewer social activities
- have difficulties in your home and family life
Often it's someone close to you who first realises you may have symptoms of depression. For example, they may notice you are avoiding friends or not doing well at school.
How to tell if you have clinical depression
Causes of depression
You are more likely to get depression as a child or young person if you have:
- problems in your family - such as arguments, divorce or instability
- been bullied or cyberbullied
- lost someone close to you
- been abused
- been neglected - do not get enough food, clothing, care, or have somewhere warm and clean to live
- pressure or stress at school
- friendship problems or are cut off from others
- moved house or changed schools
- a family member who has had depression or other mental health difficulties
Often depression is caused by more than 1 thing. For example, you might have inherited genes from your parents that increase your risk of depression. You may also have had a difficult life event, such as having been bullied.
When depression can start
Children as young as age 5 can have symptoms of depression. But depression is more likely to start after the age of 13.
About 1 in 5 young people are likely to experience depression by age 18. It is most likely to be mild to moderate. This means you will not usually need medicine to treat it.
Getting support
There is help and support you can get to:
- help improve your mood
- help with what is causing you to feel how you do
- check if you have depression
The first step is usually talking to a GP or trusted adult.
Talking to someone about something that's troubling you
Not ready to talk to someone
If you're not ready to talk to someone you could:
- contact Jigsaw
- learn more about young people's mental health on spunout
- read about dealing with depression on spunout
There are also other organisations that have advice, information and support by phone and messaging for young people.
Help at any time of day or night
If you need to talk to someone straight away:
- find out where to get urgent help for your mental health
- there are helplines you can phone or message that are open any time
Phone a helpline
These free helplines are there to help when you're feeling down or desperate.
Unless it says otherwise, they're open 24 hours a day, every day.
You can also call these helplines for advice if you're worried about someone else.
At any time you can:
- freephone 116 123 (the Samaritans)
- freephone 1800 247 247 (Pieta) - if you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Message
If you do not want to talk to someone over the phone, there are text lines and emails you can use.
Unless it says otherwise, they're open 24 hours a day, every day:
- free text HELLO to 50808 (Text About It)
- WhatsApp (Text About It)
- text HELP to 51444 - standard message rates apply (Pieta) - if you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- email jo@samaritans.ie
Talk to a GP
Talking to a GP about your mental health can seem scary, but they are there to listen to you and help you. You may find it hard to find the right words at first. Before your appointment, it can help to write some notes about what help you want and what you want to say.
Make sure you tell the GP as much as you can about:
- how you’ve been feeling and what you’ve been experiencing
- how long you've been feeling this way, or experiencing this
- how it’s affecting your day-to-day life
It’s really important to give as much information as you can. This will help the GP get a better idea of the support you need.
If you are under age 16, you may need your parent or carer’s consent to be referred. Tell the GP if you do not want your parents to know.
Speak to someone else you trust
You can speak to a:
- teacher
- school nurse
- youth worker
- social worker, if you already have one
- children's doctor (paediatrician), if you're already seeing one
They will know what support is available.
How therapy can help
Your GP may recommend you talk to a trained therapist such as a counsellor, psychologist or psychotherapist.
Talk therapy (counselling or psychotherapy) involves talking to a trained therapist to support you to deal with negative thoughts and feelings. They help you to make positive changes.