I think it is also important to say here that a dipping of mood is very different to a case of depression.
So how do we recognise the symptoms and the difference?
I know that when I was depressed I found it very difficult to share my feelings and thoughts. When my mood is dipping I want to tell the world and I cry …. a lot!
I never cried when I was depressed. I kept it in and bottled it
up and even though on the outside I demonstrated that everything was fine, underneath the surface it was a very different story. My closest friend at the time didn’t even know.
There were physical signs of course — I couldn’t eat, I avoided any gatherings of friends and family if I could, I over-exercised, I never relaxed, and even though my mouth was smiling, my eyes remained sad and empty. I didn’t sleep well and was always tired. My house was also very,
very clean!
I eventually went to my GP and got the help I needed, and even today there are some people, close to me who do not know that I was ill.
You may have someone in your life who you feel is displaying changes of behaviour that you are concerned about. If so, you don’t necessarily need to ask how they are feeling as they will probably say they are ok, but it's more about what you do. You can show support but without pressure, for example
for me if I was invited out for a coffee, I would turn the invite down until the invites stopped. Don’t stop the invites — in fact you can say I will be at …. from 11-12 tomorrow, it would be lovely to see you. You can then be there at said time, they may not turn up, but they might and sometimes that is what is necessary — no pressure, but just knowing that you will be there.
Really it is just the small things that can help when someone you love is
suffering with this illness, no big displays of help or forced help, but making your support accessible.
