[Bee3011]

I think if you're depressed then you need totalk someone. it doesnt have to be a professional.. it could be a friend or a family member or you could even write it down on a piece of paper and just get everything ut and you'll feel much better but thats only the start...

But good luck!

[emilie18]

About a year and a half, two years ago, I was feeling really low, looking back I think I may have had mild depression. I hated myself, everything about myself, I felt ugly and pathetic all the time. I thought people saw me as ugly and pathetic too. I was tired, all the time, I went from being a really good student to one who just didn't give a sh-t, I went from having lots of friends to pushing them all away and completely alienating myself. I didn't really recognise this at the time, looking back I treated my friends horribly and I wish I could have explained to them why. I never talked to anyone about my feelings, I couldn't articulate them or physically get the words out, I had no idea why I was feeling so low. I eventually started to self-harm for nearly a year which was my lowest point.

My friends were worried about me but by this point I barely talked to them anyway, it was just one friend who firmly stuck by me. I had no idea she knew about my self-harm or depression but she mentioned it one day, saying that I didn't have to hide it from her, that she was sad but was there for me. It was a wake-up call, somehow I was in denial about my self-harm, hearing it out in the open was a shock and made me decide to quit. It was hard, took a long time and I relapsed on several occasions, but I've made it to 7 months without a single incident now

Taking that first step led the way to me gradually stepping out of that place and into a happier one. So, I've done it, but it would have taken me a lot longer without that wake-up call that came from my friend. The bad feelings however will never 100% disappear, I still have bad days where I feel awful and the urge to hurt myself comes back, but on the whole I am in a much better place.

Sorry this was so long... My love goes out to anyone out there who is going through a bad time or has overcome depression in the past.

[miser]

I had a few symptoms when I was working abroad, I think it was an effect brought about by loneliness and a loss of connection with friends and family. It went away again when I moved back home. So if there's anything circumstantial you think is related to the way you feel, see if you can remove it or improve upon it.

[Silly_Lily]

I'm trying to at the moment. Previously, in the past, I always used to look at depression as something I could get over easily.I was a naive kid; it's actually dreadful. I stopped going to college halfway during the year, only coming in for exams. Despite the weather, I haven't been out for almost two weeks. It's reached a point where I have no friends (not that I had many beforehand), no social life and nothing to look forward to. Most of my time is spent on the laptop or in bed, and try as I might to beat it, it seems almost like this vicious cycle that I can't get out of.

I have been to see three different doctors on getting me referred. One told me it was something all teenagers went through, another told me it was the after-effects of my glandular fever and the last managed to get me referred to the mental health service, only for the mental health service to tell me that because of my age, it would be better for me to wait until I'm 18 and go to the adult service instead. I'm still not 18

(I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm moaning about really trivial things. But it's absolutely awful and I have no one to talk to about it, so the internet is really the only place to write all my thoughts down.)

[acapella34]

(Original post by Silly_Lily)
I'm trying to at the moment. Previously, in the past, I always used to look at depression as something I could get over easily.I was a naive kid; it's actually dreadful. I stopped going to college halfway during the year, only coming in for exams. Despite the weather, I haven't been out for almost two weeks. It's reached a point where I have no friends (not that I had many beforehand), no social life and nothing to look forward to. Most of my time is spent on the laptop or in bed, and try as I might to beat it, it seems almost like this vicious cycle that I can't get out of.

I have been to see three different doctors on getting me referred. One told me it was something all teenagers went through, another told me it was the after-effects of my glandular fever and the last managed to get me referred to the mental health service, only for the mental health service to tell me that because of my age, it would be better for me to wait until I'm 18 and go to the adult service instead. I'm still not 18

(I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm moaning about really trivial things. But it's absolutely awful and I have no one to talk to about it, so the internet is really the only place to write all my thoughts down.)

Don't apologise its good to see you're trying to do something about your depression. Good news i used to be depressed in high school and know i'm pretty much normal except for random moodswings lol but its kinda normal. In high school good friends were hard to come by but in college i made it my goal to surround myself with positive people i also started becoming more religous and i found prayer helped (especially when i felt i couldnt depend on friends or family in high school). Meeting new people is really fun see if you can join a club for anything you enjoy for example tennis. anyday that the weather is nice just go outside even if its for 20 minutes to absorb some lovely sun. if you're at home keep your room clean open your windows during the day... i've got more tips if you find any of these useful and for anyone who needs some advice let me know i'd be more than happy to help (helping others also makes you feel good about yourself so volunteering or even do what i'm trying to do), wish you all the best.