LOOKING AT DEPRESSION

The pressures of being at university can be immense, making depression a fact of life for many students. Just remember that you’re not alone.

There will be moments when your time at uni won’t all go to plan. With exam stress, debt worries, pressure to achieve and trying to juggle part-time jobs, relationships and academics, it’s no wonder that students can be susceptible to stress, anxiety and low moods. But when does ‘feeling down’ turn into depression?

What is depression?

How many times have you heard people say they’re depressed, when they’re really not? The English language doesn’t always have the right words to convey how we feel and not everyone’s understanding is the same. Being ‘a bit down’ or ‘fed up’ is very different from depression. If you’re feeling a bit low, you can usually make yourself feel better by sleeping it off or resolving the underlying issues, so the feeling goes away. But when you’re suffering from depression, it’s something that lasts for weeks or even months. It’s a state of mind that’s hard to escape from, no matter what you try. Sufferers sometimes feel that they’re not equipped with the skills to solve their problems and that there’s little point in trying.

IT’SAFACT

Signs To Look Out For

The symptoms of depression vary from one person to another, but anybody suffering from it will be battling with at least some of these:

■ Feeling sad or hopeless

■ Losing interest in things they’ve previously enjoyed

■ Anxiety

■ Tearfulness

■ Poor sleep and tiredness

■ Unexplained aches and pains

■ Self-harming

■ Low self-esteem

■ Feeling intolerant or irritable

■ Finding decision making to be difficult

■ Paranoid thinking

■ Suicidal thoughts

■ Feeling that there’s no point in living about it. In severe cases of depression, it’s possible to feel so low that you have thoughts of withdrawal, self-harm or suicide. You can also suffer from psychotic episodes, which is where you start to see, hear or believe things that aren’t real. or avoiding social contact altogether. They could also be neglecting their interests or be having problems at home or in a relationship. Stay vigilant –you could be the person who breaks the cycle.

Feel better, faster

■ Break the cycle of negativity. Dark thoughts often breed more dark thoughts, so think of positive things you’ve achieved and things you’re grateful for.

■ Do something active to keep your mind on something else.

GET HELP

If you are struggling with your mental health, seek advice from Student Services or your GP as soon as possible. These sites are good sources of information too:

■ www.studentminds.org.uk ■ www.mind.org.uk