Depression and Low Mood

When everything starts to feel harder

Depression can affect far more than your mood. You might feel exhausted, disconnected or numb, struggle to get out of bed or find yourself losing interest in things you usually enjoy. Everyday tasks can feel overwhelming, while negative thoughts, self-criticism and hopelessness can make it difficult to see how things could change.

For teenagers, depression can look different from what you might expect. They may become withdrawn, irritable or unusually tired, lose interest in friends or activities, struggle with school or sleep, or seem like they simply don't care. Underneath, they may be feeling overwhelmed, worthless, lonely or like things will never get better.

How can CBT help?

CBT can help you understand the cycle between your thoughts, feelings, behaviour and mood, including how withdrawing from things can gradually make depression harder to shift. We'll work together on realistic changes that fit your circumstances, building activity, confidence and connection gradually rather than expecting you to simply “think positively”.

What could change?

The goal isn't to force yourself to feel happy. It's to gradually reconnect with the parts of life that matter to you and feel more able to cope with difficult days.

You might have more energy and motivation, start doing things you've been putting off, reconnect with people you care about and feel less controlled by hopelessness or self-critical thoughts.

You don't have to work it out on your own

If everything feels like too much at the moment, you don't need to have a clear idea of what you need from therapy. A free, confidential consultation gives us the chance to talk about what's been happening and whether I could help.