The weather is cold and dark, the party season is over and we’re all back at work. Add to that the aftermath of Christmas spending and unrealistic new year’s resolutions – and you’d be forgiven for feeling a little glum by now. But how do you know when those January blues become something else entirely?
Depression will impact one in six of us at some point in our lives, so it’s always important to be aware of the signs. The severity of this mental health condition varies between different people – some feel persistently low in spirit, while others feel like life is no longer worth living.
“We all have times when our mood is low, and we feel sad without obvious reason to,” Stephen Buckley, head of information for the mental health charity Mind, told HuffPost UK. “However, depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, affects your everyday life and stays with you regardless of the context.”
[Read More: Living with depression or anxiety? A guide to accessing free or affordable therapy in 2019]
It can be hard to tell the difference between a low mood and mild depression, because the symptoms are similar. If this is the case for you, reflect on how long you’ve been feeling this way. Buckley suggested keeping a mood diary – it’s a useful way to track how long you’ve been feeling down.
“If your low mood is interfering with your life and doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks, or if it keeps coming back on a regular basis, it could be a sign that you’re experiencing depression,” Buckley said.
If your symptoms become disabling to everyday life, you should ask for help or talk to a health professional, advised Dr Antonis Kousoulis, associate director at the Mental Health Foundation: “For example, not being able to get out of bed, not getting any pleasure from activities you would normally enjoy, or feeling constantly anxious, sad or hopeless.”
Other symptoms that show your January blues might be a sign of depression include long periods of:
:: Low mood and tearfulness
:: Loss of appetite or eating too much unhealthy food
:: Sleep disruption
:: Turning down invitations to social events or making excuses not to attend
:: Drinking more alcohol
:: Feeling a need to avoid certain situations or people
:: Low self-esteem
:: Feeling guilty or worthless
:: Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Book in to see your GP if you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms above for longer than two weeks.
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.