Depression

But how do you know that your worries are the type that everybody has, and not something more serious? After all, at any time about one in twenty people are clinically depressed. Well, here's a checklist of common symptoms;

• Have you lost interest in everyday things?
• Do you feel guilty or that you are 'no good to anyone'?
• Do you find it hard to concentrate on things you like?
• Do you always feel tired?
• Do you seem to be putting on (or losing) weight?
• Do you find it hard to sleep?
• Do you often feel agitated?
• Do you feel worthless?

If you have had a number of these symptoms for two weeks or more, you may be depressed. Other things to look out for include:

• Loss of energy and feeling tired all the time
• Spending less time socialising with friends or family
• Loss of appetite and weight loss, or comfort eating
• Getting lower marks than usual at school or college
• Not going to school/college/ work, or becoming disruptive
• Becoming a hypochondriac, worrying lots about illness
• More headaches, back-aches or stomach aches than you normally get

What to do about it

The trouble is when you're depressed you often don't feel like doing anything or sharing your feelings with more people. But if you can manage to tell someone close - a friend or someone in your family - you will feel less alone. If you don't feel you have anyone to talk to, ring Grapevine and talk to a friendly worker who will be happy to listen and support you. We can even refer you to a counsellor from SHARE Young Peoples Counselling Service if that is what you want. The numbers are at the end of this chapter. If you can tell your doctor, they will be able to help you by either placing you with a trained counsellor or giving you some medication. The most important thing to remember is to talk to somebody - don't let depression make your life a misery; it's a treatable illness like any other.