Low and sad

How you might be feeling

We can feel sad for many reasons including: losing a loved one, change in life situation, relationship breakdowns. And sometimes we can feel sad for no obvious reason.

There are lots of different feelings you may be experiencing, but these are some of the most common.

• Constantly feeling close to crying or struggling to not cry
• Inability to enjoy things that previously brought you joy
• Lacking energy to do things or feeling sluggish
• Finding it hard to relax
• Not wanting to be around others
• Feeling numb or worthless
• Regularly feeling irritated and annoyed
• Overwhelming feelings of sadness, guilt, anger or hopelessness
• Blaming yourself for everything
• Criticising yourself more often

Top tips

• Make a gratitude jar… Write down the things that make you happy and place them in the jar ready to read whenever you’re feeling low.
• Other things you can do… Regular sleep, exercise and keeping to a healthy diet can help you feel more in control and more able to cope.
• Self-help books can be really helpful too. You could borrow Am I Depressed? by Shirley Reynolds and Monika Parkinson from your local library.

Try giving yourself some time to do things that don’t require much effort but will help you to feel calmer. This can include having a bath, watching a movie or TV show you know you enjoy, treating yourself to a takeaway or cooking a nice meal. Self-care is important when you’re not feeling your best.

We have lots of information on our website to help you understand depression. You can read personal stories, learn about what causes depression and find tips to help you feel better. These tips include trying mindfulness, keeping a mood diary and looking after your physical health.

When to get help

If you’re struggling to cope and the things you’re trying yourself are not helping, you may be suffering from depression. If you think you’re experiencing depression then it’s important to talk to a trusted adult.

If you feel like your life isn’t worth living, or that you want to harm yourself, ask for help straight away. Organisations like Childline and the Samaritans are there to help you, not judge.

Call the Samaritans for free on 116 123.

There’s lots of options – including both online and in person support. 

PositiveMinds and Kooth are good options for support, but any service will welcome and support you to get the right help you need.

If you’re aged 16+ and not sure where to get support, contact the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm) to talk to the team, or chat online.