What Do The Young People Say Depression Was Like?

“It was like a dread inside, there all the time. When I was with my friends it would go away a bit, but it always came back.”

Jack – age 15

“I started worrying about everything, even things that never bothered me before. I was so worried about being asked a question in school that I used to feel sick in the mornings. Some days I just could not go to school.” Lois age 13

“I was angry with everyone, they all annoyed me, particularly my mum who kept asking me what was wrong. Laura age 14

“I couldn’t face anyone, I don’t know why. I wanted to be dead, it was in my mind all the time, I couldn’t stop thinking about my death and being dead. At least then I would stop feeling like this.” Sue age 15

“Sometimes there’d be this feeling of being trapped, or perhaps overwhelmed. Other times there’d be a feeling of just being completely lost and not knowing what to do, and then the most frequent was probably one of complete and utter apathy for life, the universe and everything.” David age 16

“I was very fatigued. I’d stay in bed for ever really. I just felt absolutely lousy and I got awful stomach pains as well, and awful headaches.” John age 15