Everybody feels sad or unhappy sometimes, but people suffering from depression feel very down and struggle to shake off constant feelings of unhappiness. They can start to feel like everything is too much effort, lose interest in activities they usually enjoy, and feel bad about themselves or that they are useless. They might sleep a lot or struggle to sleep at all, lose their appetite or find they eat more than they normally would. Sometimes people feel so low that they have thoughts of harming themselves.
ChildLine
A free and confidential support service for children and young people (telephone 0800 1111)
www.childline.org.uk
Young Minds – depression
Information and advice for young people about depression
www.youngminds.org.uk