Depression
FAQs
Depression, in the context of everyday conversation, is a term used to describe low mood. This is not a disorder. However, in the context of mental ill health, depression or clinical depression or a depressive disorder is a mental illness characterised by a number of different identifying factors.
Clinical depression is the same as a depressive disorder. It is a mental illness that is characterised by a variety of physical and psychological factors.
Young people who are clinically depressed will often shows signs of irritability, might be excessively tearful or say they are numb, say and believe very negative and critical things about themselves and lack interest in things they used to enjoy.
There are many symptoms of clinical depression which require diagnosis by a clinician or specialist. These include symptoms such as persistently changed low mood, negativity and a lack of engagement socially. These symptoms are often there most of the time.
Clinical depression can affect the way you see yourself and a result stop you from doing the things you enjoy. It can affect the way you work and your productivity. Clinical depression has the most effect on social connections often making the person who experiences depression withdraw from others.
There are some screening questionnaires for depression but since it is a serious mental illness, it should be diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional.
Self-diagnosis should be used with caution and should be seen as a signpost to accessing relevant professional help. Use a valid source of information such as the questionnaire on the Moodzone section on the NHS website rather than other unverified online information sites.
There are a number of self-care strategies that are helpful in managing mild-moderate depression. These include daily exercise (minimum half an hour a day), eating a regular and balanced diet, engaging in regular activities you enjoy and meeting up with friends.
Whilst it is often difficult to motivate yourself to do these activities whilst depressed, taking small but consistent steps to make a daily change can help enormously.
In addition, it’s important to be honest to yourself about any increase in negative ‘coping’ behaviours such as drinking too much, misuse of substances, self-harm or too much gaming/screen time to try and escape from difficult feelings and take steps to make positive change by substituting these with positive helpful behaviours.
There are also many treatments that work. Psychological treatments include three main therapies – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Behavioural Activation (BA). Medication can also sometimes help and will need assessment by an adolescent psychiatrist.
Talk to them and encourage them to tell a responsible adult who can get them help. If they find this difficult offer to talk to someone on their behalf or go with them as support when they tell someone. Keep being their friend rather than their carer and look after yourself.
Children can also develop a depressive disorder. Depression, as in low mood is very common in children and this can be part of everyday growing up. Depressive disorders in children have to be diagnosed by a health professional.
Depression is a common condition in teenage years affecting approximately just under a quarter of the population. According to latest NHS Digital figures, ‘emotional disorders’ are highest in females aged between 17-19 years (NHS Digital, 2017) but please note that these statistics are only through the use of screening questionnaires rather than clinical assessment and diagnosis.
Whilst similar numbers of girls and boys get depression until the age of 17, between the aged of 17-19 girls are four times more likely than boys to present with depression. In adulthood, women are twice as likely.
For milder problems, there are also some effective self-help programmes. Your GP should be your first port of call.
