Sometimes it's tricky to figure out if you're feeling sad or if you're genuinely depressed. Run through the checklist below, it may help. This is something I complied myself, it is not by any means a professional document.
1) Are you not feeling like yourself?
2) As students, we generally don’t have the
healthiest eating habits, but have your eating habits changed drastically? Are
you eating a lot more or a lot less than usual?
3) Do you find yourself either over-reacting to the
smallest things or feeling numb when you should be reacting to big things?
4) Are you lacking motivation lately? Are you
finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or battling to find the
motivation to get things done?
5) Are you sleeping more than usual or than your
should be? Or are you finding it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep? Do the words "I'm too depressed to sleep" make sense to you?
6) Do consequences not matter to you anymore? In
other words, do you care if you miss an important class or not?
7) Are you more homesick than usual? Most students
who are studying away from home experience homesickness at some point and some
more than others, but are you missing home or your parents a lot more?
8) Do you feel like other people won’t/don’t
understand what you’re feeling?
9) Do you feel isolated and alone?
10) Do you sometimes feel like you just can't do this thing called life?
11) Are you turning to alcohol, drugs or other
substances to help you to forget about how you’re feeling or numb yourself?
If you've answered yes to a lot of the things above, you might be experiencing depression. It
may be serious or it may be temporary. Depression can be caused by so many
things and it’s important to know that a lot people suffer from depression
every day...your problem is not unusual and you are not alone - as cliche as that may sound.
So what can you do?
- Fight! Don’t give in. I know it’s easier said than done, but find the strength within yourself to hold on.
- Seek help. Whether it be making an appointment at your campus counselling centre or seeing a private psychologist, there is help out there! You may not think that therapy is for you or you may be totally opposed to it. That’s okay too.
- Talk to someone. If you’re not into going for some therapy, try to find a friend, family member or even a teacher to talk to. Sometimes opening up to someone and being heard can help in the biggest way. And don’t give up if you have a bad experience the first time you talk to someone.
- Look for support. Actively searching for support and information on online forums and communities can make you feel a whole lot better. MDJunction is a really great place to find support!
- Get active! Getting some exercise can do you a world of good. Getting those endorphins pumping will immediately feel happier. Go for a walk or a swim, play a game of tennis...anything that gets you moving and out of the confines of your bedroom.
- Make a list of things that you usually make you happy or that made you happy when you were a kid and do them! Whether it be baking, building puzzles, going to the beach, going out dancing, hiking, gardening, shopping, painting, volunteering etc.
