Low Mood

What is low mood?

Sometimes life can be challenging and it can make us feel down. We can all feel sad or low in mood at times, and we might even feel unable to cope. Sometimes it will be obvious why we feel low, perhaps if we’ve gone through difficult life events, and other times there may be no clear reason. That’s okay; that’s normal.

When we feel like this, we might lose interest in things that we once enjoyed, everyday tasks might feel harder and we might lose hope that we’ll ever feel better. Taking notice of the different areas in our life, such as family, friends, home, school, work and relationships, can help us to better understand what makes us feel good, and what might be contributing to our low mood.

Usually, a low mood will pass after a couple of hours or days (or sometimes weeks), and you will start to feel okay again by yourself. If your low mood feels too intense or lasts for too long then additional support might be needed.

 

What are the symptoms?

Low mood symptoms include:

  • Feeling sad, upset and down often
  • Feeling more irritable than usual
  • Feeling numb or empty
  • Not wanting to do things that you previously enjoyed
  • Avoiding friends or social situations
  • Sleeping more or less than usual
  • Eating more or less than usual
  • Being self-critical and having unhelpful thoughts
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Feeling tired and not having any energy
  • Feeling guilty, or like you’re a burden
  • Wanting to hurt yourself or end your life – if this applies to you, seek support as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) crisis team immediately on 0800 516171 or 999. They are available 24/7 and will support you through your crisis.

 

What can help?

 

 

 

 

Supporting your child with low mood

If your child is struggling with low mood, click on the link to find out how you can support them and places you can get help.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/depression-and-low-mood/

 

References

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further Information

  • Low mood, what can help?

    If your symptoms are too intense or last for too long, it could be a sign that you might need additional support. Talking about it can be really helpful and is often the first step to feeling better. Speak to a trusted friend or family member, or contact our Therapy Service on therapyservice@tvc.ac.uk to talk […]

    Find Out More