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Depression, sadness and preventing suicide

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the Samaritans helpline on 116 123.

There can be many factors that cause us to feel sad, including our environment, seasonal changes, and our experiences. Loneliness is a big cause of sadness and can lead to depression, but as depression develops, it can make us less social and become reclusive, adding to the loneliness. As well as finding therapy services to improve the symptoms of depression, you can search for hobby groups or sports clubs to join and begin working through the causes.

MindInformation

How does depression affect wellbeing?

Depression is a lot more than feeling sad, much more than not being happy. It is a constant low mood even in situations you think you should be happier. If you are suffering from depression, you may experience excessive sweating, paranoia, mood swings, tiredness and lethargy, lose interest in hobbies, change in appetite, be unable to complete daily tasks like brushing your hair, and much more. It affects your body and mind.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is an extreme sadness felt through the winter months. Reduced daylight hours make your body sleepy, and this can make you feel depressed. It is why UV lamps and lightbulbs can help you feel better and more energetic.

How can I improve my wellbeing?

You will not always feel this way. Some people with sadness or depression find they bounce between mania (happiness) and depression, this is known as bipolar. It is important to look into the causes and triggers of what changes your mood drastically. Use the services listed below to find help and support. Taking part in a new group, either sports, craft or just to chat, can help too. If you start a new hobby found here, you do not need to talk about your mental health, but it might help to open up and be honest with someone you trust or a professional.

Online services such as Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, or support and therapy like IESO can give you more information about sadness and the different types of depression.

Use the services below to find support:

How to help others

Children and teenagers

If you are worried about a child or young person, there are lots of resources online to help parents and carers understand mental health and advice for how to approach it at home. There are many website available for young people to help them through difficult periods, such as RiseAbove and Thirteen.me.uk. These have been created for young people's mental health and body issues, with support channels, information and parent helplines.

Friend or family member

If you are concerned about a loved one, read through the advice on mental health websites such as Hull and East Yorkshire Mind. Make friends and family aware that there are services and hobby groups available to them, such as IESO (free for residents of East Riding of Yorkshire).

I'm a professional

If you are concerned your client is thinking about suicide, encourage them to speak with the Samaritans. Residents of the East Riding can self refer to IESO for free online therapy for mental health

Wellbeing in the workplace

Depression can affect productivity at work. During the winter months, Seasonal Affective Disorder syndrome can cause low mood, leading to low productivity and staff morale. Ensure working areas are brightly lit. Many mental health websites have advice and resources for businesses to improve wellbeing in the workplace. Search Find Wellbeing for 'workplace' for information on managing different stress based mental health issues for employees.

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