Depression, stress and anxiety are serious and common problems. The first step to getting help is to be able to recognise the problem. Sometimes it is easy to put ourselves under too much pressure; we can worry about how we look, about exams or about what other people think of us.
"People are more at risk of becoming depressed if they are under a lot of stress and have no one to share their worries with."
Depression is commonly caused by a mixture of things rather than any one thing alone. Some people have experiences that lead to depression including family breakdown, the death or loss of a loved one, stress, abuse, bullying and physical illness. Depression can also be triggered if too many changes happen in your life too quickly.
Depression can cause serious problems, such as:
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Difficulties getting on with friends and family.
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Loss of friends.
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Loss of confidence and difficulty making decisions.
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Inability to study, work and perform well in exams.
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Difficulty with day to day tasks.
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Eating problems, turning to food for comfort and eating or dieting excessively.
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Lying, stealing and missing school.
Simply talking to someone you trust and who you feel understands can lighten the burden. It can also make it easier to work out practical solutions to problems. For example, if you are stressed out by exams or study, you could talk to your teacher.
"Keep as active and as occupied as possible and allow for fun and leisure time."
