Taking action
Depression
Depression is just like any other illness - you need ways to get through it and stop it happening again later on. Some people think that it’s weak to admit that they’re going through a tough time, but if you have depression, you can’t just “snap out of it” or “pull yourself together”. Keeping it to yourself only makes things worse. Start by talking to someone you trust - maybe a parent, teacher, school counsellor, family member or friend.
Seeing a doctor who is a General Practitioner (GP) is a good start when you’re after help and information. A doctor can help you work out if what you are feeling is depression and help you to plan how to get through it.
This may involve organising talking (psychological) therapy, to help you to change the negative thinking that comes with depression or deal with any hassles you may be having with family and friends.
The doctor may also talk to you about other ways to tackle depression, such as stress management and tips on how to improve your sleep patterns.
For some people, the doctor may think that an antidepressant is also necessary, but only if the depression is severe or it isn’t improving with other treatments.
There are many things that can help you recover.
Even if you don’t feel like it, it’s important to stay active and plan what you’re going to do each day. These can be little things, like going to the movies, talking to a friend or completing part of an assignment.
Try to include things that you enjoy in your daily plan. At first, you may not enjoy them as much as you did before, but if you keep active, with time you’ll probably like them again.
It’s also important to stay physically active, eat healthily and get plenty of sleep. Try not to drink or take drugs - “blocking out” how you’re feeling usually only makes the problem worse.
Overcoming depression can take time, especially if it has been around for a while and become part of your way of life.
Key points to remember
The following things can help to stop you from getting depressed and help you stay healthy if you are depressed:
- talk about your feelings and emotions.
- spend time and stay connected with people you like and trust.
- if you think you are depressed, take action early.
- eat a healthy and varied diet
- stay physically active
- take time out to do something you enjoy
- don’t stress (or don’t stress too much)
- get enough sleep
- avoid drinking alcohol or taking drugs
- remember that some days will be better than others.
People who are depressed may be at risk of suicide, and if so they need urgent help. Consult a doctor, the emergency department of your local hospital or a mental health professional (like a psychologist or psychiatrist).
Anxiety
Whatever type of anxiety you are experiencing, if it’s interfering with areas of your day-to-day life, such as schoolwork and relationships with people, you probably need some help to get back on track.
A good place to start is with your doctor, who can help you identify your anxiety disorder and find the best way to manage it. Your doctor may recommend some information to read and refer you to someone who specialises in anxiety disorders.
Common ways of treating anxiety include learning relaxation and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques. See Youthbeyondblue Fact sheet 4: Treatments for depression and anxiety.
Medication is prescribed also for some anxiety disorders in some circumstances (particularly OCD), but caution is generally needed in young people. See Youthbeyondblue Fact sheet 5: Antidepressants for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents.
Helping yourself if you have an anxiety disorder
There are many things that you can do to reduce anxiety in your life.
Look at the things that are causing you stress and if you can, change your lifestyle to avoid or confront those things. Looking after yourself will also improve your overall health and well-being.
- Staying healthy - Make sure that you are eating healthy foods and regular meals, and try to stay active and get enough sleep.
- Relaxing - There are many ways to help yourself relax. You could try going for walks, doing a class like yoga or Tai Chi, learning to meditate or playing footy with a friend.
- Talking - Bottling things up is likely to keep your anxiety levels high. If possible, talk to a friend about the things that are making you feelanxious and see if they can be sorted out.
- Alcohol and drugs - These might seem to help, but they only make things harder in the long run.
Key points to remember
- If you are feeling so anxious that it is affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder and need help to manage it.
- It’s important to recognise and treat anxiety problems as early as possible as this can prevent a lifetime of experiencing both anxiety and depression.
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can be very successful in helping people to manage an anxiety disorder.
- Managing your anxiety disorder may take time and there may be good days and not so good ones. Remember that dealing with your anxiety disorder is possible.
- Anxiety is not the same as depression, but the two conditions often go together. If you have anxiety and depression, both need to be treated.
