Everyone feels sad from time to time, but a constant low mood shouldn’t be ignored.

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What is depression?
How does depression affect people with epilepsy?
What can I do if I feel depressed?
Where can I get support?
Struggling to cope?
Renell discussing depression on camera

So, what is depression?

Everyone feels sad sometimes, that’s part of being human. But if you’ve been feeling consistently low for more than a few weeks, it might be depression.  

Depression isn’t weakness or attention-seeking. It’s not your fault, not something to be ashamed of, and it’s not something you can “just get over”. It’s a real health condition which affects how your brain and body work together. Depression changes how you feel about life and can make simple everyday tasks feel like huge challenges. It can affect school, work, and your personal life.  

Depression is more than just feeling sad. Depression can change: 

  • How you think (like feeling hopeless about the future, or constant negative thoughts about yourself) 
  • How you feel (low mood, or feeling empty) 
  • How you behave (withdrawing, shutting people out) 
  • How your body feels (changes in sleep, energy, and appetite).  

Research shows that depression is one of the most common problems affecting teenagers worldwide, with rates of depression increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the UK, around 1 in 6 people experience depression. For people with epilepsy, this rises to around 1 in 3.

How does depression affect people with epilepsy?

There is a link between epilepsy and depression. They are completely different conditions, but they can impact each other. People with epilepsy are more likely to develop depression than people without epilepsy. Stress and poor sleep can make having a seizure more likely, and some anti-seizure medications can also have an impact on mood.

This is because the body and the mind are connected, so epilepsy can affect how you feel emotionally. This doesn’t mean that epilepsy causes depression, or that you will definitely become depressed if you have epilepsy. But it does mean that your mental health deserves as much attention as your seizures.  

Because epilepsy and mental health are connected, it’s especially important for people with epilepsy to look after their mental health and reach out for support when they need to.  

Depression looks different for everyone. Symptoms of depression include: 

  • Feeling low, sadness, despair, or tearful 
  • Feeling hopeless or stuck 
  • Feeling unmotivated, numb, or empty 
  • Feeling guilty or like everything is your fault 
  • Feeling anxious, constantly on edge 
  • Feeling like you’re not good enough, low self-esteem  
  • A sinking feeling in your stomach like something bad is about to happen 
  • Easily irritated or angry 
  • Tired and fatigued all the time, even after sleep 
  • Unable to concentrate or remember things. 
  • Having trouble making decisions 
  • Uninterested in the things you enjoy (from food and sports to sex) 
  • Eating more or less than usual 
  • Not spending time with friends or family 
  • Having thoughts of hurting yourself 

If you have any thoughts about harming yourself or ending your life, please talk to someone immediately. You deserve help right now, not later. You can tell your family, friends, doctor, or contact one of the services designed to help people who are struggling.

You are not alone

Other young people with epilepsy describe the impact on their mental wellbeing as:

Severe anxiety and depression, feel like I have no independence.
Young person with epilepsy
Epilepsy has taken a lot of things from me. It has impacted my life greatly and my mental health has suffered as a result. I now have a diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Young person with epilepsy

You told us

Young people with epilepsy who responded to our survey told us:

  • 0

    Impact on Mental Health

    99% of young people who responded to our survey said living with epilepsy has had an impact on their mental health.

  • 0

    Impact on Learning

    57% of young people who responded to our survey said living with epilepsy has had an impact on their learning.

A young man sits before film cameras on a football pitch for a Christmas appeal.

“Just man up and deal with it”, that's what they all say.

Read about Renell's experience of feeling depressed. 

Read Renell's story

What can I do if I feel depressed?

Talk to friends, family, people you trust. Keep connected to people you care about and who care about you. You can also talk to people at Young Epilepsy who will understand you. 

Taking care of yourself can feel like a challenge when you are depressed. Things like diet, sleep, and exercise may not seem related to your mood, but they have a huge effect on how we think, feel, and behave.  

Try to have a good sleep routine by waking up and falling asleep at the same time every day and aim for 8 hours or more if you can. If you struggle with sleep, find out here what you can do to help make sure you catch those zzzz's. 

Try your best to eat a balanced diet and avoid drinking alcohol (it’s a depressant after all). 

Find exercise that you enjoy and that doesn’t feel like a chore. Exercise doesn’t have to look like running or going to the gym. Yoga, dancing, climbing, horse riding, pickleball, hiking, swimming, and pilates are all great forms of exercise. Endorphins are chemicals that are natural anti-depressants, and your body releases these when you move your body. 

Different things work for different people. It’s important to find what works for you, so it’s okay if you try something and it doesn’t work out. Try something else until you find something which is helpful and that you enjoy.  

Meditating can help to reduce stress and improve mood. There are lots of guided meditations for free on Youtube, and different mindfulness and meditation apps to try.  

Some people find journaling helps them with their mental health9. Journaling can help you get things off your chest, and to understand what you are thinking and feeling. Some people like to write down their thoughts and find that once they’ve written it down, they aren’t thinking about it so much anymore. Other people find it boosts their mood to write down things they are grateful for. 

Thinking about, writing down, or saying things you are grateful for can boost mood, improve sleep, lower risk of depression, and even improve your physical health14. You can give gratitude a go by naming 10 things you are grateful for. They don’t need to be big things, they can be as simple as ‘I am grateful for my health’, or ‘I’m grateful for my comfy bed’.  

When we feel happy, we laugh and smile. This also works in reverse: smiling can make us feel happy! So, smile at yourself in the mirror, watch a comedy, or try some online laughter exercises on YouTube. 

Getting professional support for depression 

Depression is treatable, and professional support can really help. 

Evidence shows that depression in young people improves the most with talking therapies, especially: CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), interpersonal therapy, and family therapy for younger children. For moderate to severe depression, therapy plus medication may be the most helpful. Your GP is the first step for getting professional support.  

Where can I get support? 

If you feel you might be depressed, please contact your GP.  

If you are struggling with feelings of depression, remember, you are not alone.  

If you want to talk to someone, you can reach out to one of the organisations below. You don’t have to wait until things are “bad enough”. 

Online support 

There are lots of digital tools available to support your mental health. These work best alongside professional support.  

Try downloading one of these apps that young people recommend: 

Kooth: Recommended by one of our young reps, Kooth offers online mental health services to give kind and helpful support.  

Happify: Science-based activities and games to help reduce stress, overcome negative thoughts, and grow your ability to bounce back. 

Blue Ice: Helping young people manage and understand their emotions and reduce urges of self-harm. 

Catch it: This app uses CBT to teach you how to look at problems in a different way, turn negative thoughts into positive ones and improve your mental wellbeing. 

Crisis and Support Services 

There are people ready and waiting to support you. All of these services are free. They are also confidential. This means that they won’t share what you tell them with anyone, unless they feel there is an immediate risk to your life. 

We have partnered with SHOUT, a free confidential text service. Text PURPLE to 85258, and you will be connected with a trained volunteer who will listen and support you.  

Samaritans: Call 116123. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7) listening service for anyone experiencing emotional distress, feeling overwhelmed, or having suicidal thoughts. Trained volunteers offer non-judgemental listening and support.  

Papyrus: Call 0800 068 4141 88247. 24/7 suicide prevention service for young people experiencing suicidal thoughts. There is a chat service on their website. 

Childline: Call 0800 1111. 24/7 confidential helpline for young people. You can also start a 1-2-1 chat 1 online. 

CALM (for men): Call 0800 585858. 5pm – midnight confidential suicide prevention helpline supporting men who are struggling with life, including suicidal thoughts, depression, and feeling overwhelmed.  

Ripple Suicide Prevention: Digital suicide-prevention tool which finds online searches related to self-harm or suicide and displays a message of hope alongside signposting to free 24/7 mental health support services.  

Find more information and how you can receive support from Young Epilepsy

A young man looks solemnly at his phone outside.

Are you struggling to cope?

For anyone struggling with their mental health, we have partnered with SHOUT, a FREE 24/7 confidential text service.

To start a conversation Text PURPLE to 85258

Find out more

Key message to remember

Depression is common, treatable, and not your fault. If you have epilepsy, your mental health matters just as much as your epilepsy does. There are lots of strategies you can use to feel better, and you can always reach out for support if you need it.

It’s hard to talk about, but even if you’re crying, go to someone you trust and let it all out, don’t ever be afraid of what you are going to say. Because once you have spoken, even if it’s just one word, that’s where it all gets better.
Young Person
young woman looking past camera

Members of our Youth Voice Network share their advice...

“If you’re struggling, just know you’re not alone and you deserve help and to be happy.” 

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The theme of Depression has been supported by an educational grant by GW Pharmaceuticals

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