HELP IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE IN THIS. OTHERS FEEL EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOU DO. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. TALKING WONT MAKE IT GO AWAY BUT I PROMISE IT DOES MAKE IT EASIER!

I know you may feel isolated, helpless, hopeless and lonely but help is out there. The first step is accepting how you feel, if you hurt your arm or your leg you wouldn’t be afraid to tell your parents, teachers or a coach. Firstly you need to accept your feelings for what they are- feelings. You never asked to feel like this, you’re not weak for feeling this way. It is not your fault- the same way if you hurt your leg you wouldn’t feel shame or guilt. Then LET SOMEBODY IN show them the world you’ve been experiencing. Tell them how you’ve lost your drive, ambition and focus. Help them understand why you haven’t been attending training’s, even though its the one thing you love most, because the buzz is gone from it. How it doesn’t light a fire in you the same way anymore. Tell them how your heart races at the thought of failure but you’ve no urge to be productive, how you’re not bothered to get out of bed someday’s because fighting with your mind has taken all of the energy you had. Explain how you sleep all the time to numb your feelings and halt your thoughts, how you stay in your pj’s all day because its comfortable and safe and warm. Let them know how hard it is at night time when you’ve slept all day and then can’t sleep while everyone else does so you lie awake in a house full of sleeping people alone with your thoughts. Let them know how hard it is exactly and how much you’ve struggled.

OPENING UP is by far the toughest step to admit to one single other person that you are not okay will be possibly the hardest thing you’ll ever do. It is also the best thing you could ever do after that conversation you’ll never have to deal with it on your own again. After that conversation it all gets a little bit easier.

Your Parents are always there for you no matter how much you argue, disagree or how often you see them. They brought you into this world and would move mountains for you. Your coach is another option if you feel you can’t talk at home, these people put hours into training and developing you as a person and your skills you can guarantee they care for your health and well-being. Your teachers/ lecturers you will see these people multiple times per week they will have noticed a change in your engagement levels, they also care about how your doing. Your friends, this one may be tougher than the rest to confide in someone on your level. They will have noticed the change in your behaviour, how you put off going out or dressing up or are keeping in contact less. If you do not want to talk to someone you know well (and even if you do) I would also recommend going to see your Doctor. They are great listeners they know the medical side to how your feeling and can offer great advice and/or counselling options. They may also do a blood test to see if you have a chemical imbalance. Counselling is also available in most towns, colleges and schools and it is 100% confidential. FIND A PERSON YOUR COMFORTABLE TALKING TO, SOMEONE YOU TRUST AND TRY TO SAY ‘I AM NOT OKAY’

When someone opens up to you please don’t reply telling them how great their life is and why they shouldn’t feel sad or how others have it so much worse than they do. That does not help. It will actually make them feel worse. Allow them to tell you exactly how they feel. Don’t bombard them with questions because they may clam up. Please don’t ask WHY they feel the way they do. For many there isn’t a reason for how they feel or they can’t seem to figure out the root of it themselves. This can be particularly frustrating for the person experiencing depression.

If you find it hard to talk a text message to a parent/coach/friend is another option. You can just say ‘I need to talk, I don’t feel okay’. Then they will initiate the conversation. I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO SHARE HOW YOUR FEELING.

REMEMBER NO ONE WILL BE MAD AT YOU FOR HOW YOU FEEL. YOU ARE NOT A BURDEN. THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU ARE LOVED AND PEOPLE CARE ABOUT YOU.

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