How to recognise depression and anxiety!
Updated: Apr 15, 2025
Depression and Anxiety is a very tough subject,
because if you’re suffering with it maybe something triggered it, that makes you feel worse when you think about it, or you’re not really sure how you got there you just know that you’re there and the not knowing might feel really stressful.
Mental health is talked about more now and that is great, but I’m still hearing people not take it seriously or roll their eyes when a loved one tells them they’re suffering.
If someone tells you you're weak, because you're dealing with either depression, anxiety, or both, please ignore that. You are not weak, you are strong and it takes a brave person to admit when something is wrong. Everyone has their breaking point and that’s ok.
If you feel like opening up to someone you care about either isn’t helping or isn’t something you feel comfortable doing, please speak with a health professional. Doctors can refer you to other professionals who can help, so talking with your GP is always a good option, also it is confidential, so if you’re worried about someone else finding out that you’re using a service, you don’t need to worry. If you’re under 16, your parents are responsible for your care so a doctor will inform them.
But anyone that has been unemployed and on universal credit or unemployment benefits, will tell you it’s a stressful and difficult time. These times can then lead to depression and anxiety. Your physical health is important. Your mental health is just as important, and I have a few ideas to help get you through.
How to recognise if someone has depression
Change in appetite, sometimes when people have depression, they either can’t bring themselves to eat or start overeating, otherwise known as comfort eating.
Change in sleep patterns, they may be struggling to sleep and have insomnia, or they may be sleeping a lot more, somnolent.
Change in attitude towards previous interests, finding they have lost interest in the things they used to love to do.
"Please know that people with depression are not just a little sad and they can't stop feeling that way"
Without help, it may get worse. Depression can cause people to feel worthless, hopeless and cause them to have low self-esteem. They may even feel like a failure. If you are suffering with depression, it is not your fault. You are not a failure and there is a way forward from here, you just have to find it and the first step is talking to someone.
"If you are suffering with depression, it is not your fault. You are not a failure!"
People with anxiety
May struggle to focus or struggle with making decisions.
They may feel irritable, tense or restless.
Experience nausea or abdominal distress.
Be sweaty, tremble or shake.
Have trouble sleeping.
Feel like they are in impending danger, panic or doom.
Have heart palpitations.
Of course, there are varying degrees of anxiety, you may find yourself becoming tearful when you try and do things, it can leave you feeling frustrated with yourself. Sometimes you might feel too anxious to even be around anyone.
"Some people suffer with both anxiety and depression. I know it can sometimes feel like there is no way forward to deal with the issues you’re facing, but there is."
I’m not saying every issue has an easy solution because sometimes that just isn’t the case. For example, addiction, there is not a simple solution to that. Some people say just stop, but for someone with an addiction, it’s not that simple. But there is help, there is counselling or support groups, that may also give you a sponsor to help you feel more supported.
Dealing with losing your job or being made homeless
Losing a job is never easy and comes with its own set of problems, but there are recruitment agencies you can join and various sites that you can look for work on and eventually, you’re bound to find something and if you have signed on with the job centre there are different courses they can send you on and they will help you to look for work.
Homelessness is incredibly scary and a hard situation to face and one that definitely doesn’t have an easy fix. However, if you are in this situation please speak to your local council, speak to citizens advice, try and get help from the Salvation Army. These are resources that can help, just don’t give up. Again, speak with your doctors surgery, they may be able to put you in touch with a social prescriber that might be able to help.
Don't suffer in silence
When you are suffering with depression, it may feel like you are drowning in everything bad in your life. Just like anything. With depression, there are highs and lows. But the lows can get really low and take you to a very dark place that you may feel you can’t come back from. The light is there, you just have to find it. Try focusing on all the good things you have in your life, but while I know it may not be possible or enough, please I can’t stress enough how important it is to let someone in and talk about it.
"The light is there, you just have to find it."
Sometimes people might pull away from you when their mental health takes a turn. If you think this may be the case, please don’t brush it off and think “If they’re not bothering with me, I’m not bothering with them.” Of course, if someone is affecting your mental health, I am not suggesting you stay in contact with them, but if it is someone you were close to that stopped talking to you for no explainable reason and you really can’t think why they would, they may just be needing you now more than ever.
If you’re worried someone you know is dealing with depression, anxiety or both, or if you feel you may have depression, anxiety or both, please feel free to contact me.
"Remember be kind, you never know what someone else is going through."
