Navigating Through a Mental Fog

Depression is one of the most common health issues for young people in Australia and is a mental illness characterised by feelings of sadness that last longer than usual, affect most parts of your life and stop you enjoying the things that you are used to.

Have you ever walked or driven thick fog? The kind that's so dense you can't see more than a few metres in front of or behind you? Depression is like trying to navigate through a fog externally while operating in a mental fog internally. Everything can seem slower, numb and like were looking in from the outside. Simple tasks suddenly require more concentration and effort, and we're left feeling inadequate and weak for being exhausted all the time.

1 in 20 Australians are affected by depression each year.

St Philip's recognises the importance of taking care of all aspects of your wellbeing - including your mental health. If you broke your leg, you wouldn't continue walking on it, and hope that it got better? You would go to the doctors and get treatment so that your leg heals and you can live life to the full capacity. Our wellbeing is not something to be ashamed or kept hidden, but is something to be proactive about and that is important to talk about regularly as it affects all areas of our life. Our students are encouraged to have wellbeing conversations with their PC teacher, a staff member they trust or one of our school chaplains whenever they feel they may be struggling or are overwhelmed.

Signs of depression can include:

• Decreased self-esteem
• Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too much, excessively or getting broken sleep)
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Inability to control emotions such as pessimism, anger, guilt, irritability and anxiety
• Reduced capacity to experience pleasure: Inability to enjoy what's happening now, not looking forward to anything with pleasure such as hobbies or activities
• Poor concentration and memory
• Reduced motivation to carry out usual tasks and lowered energy levels

If you are concerned about your own wellbeing, the test below can help you identify any symptoms of depression that you may be experiencing:

https://www.blackdoginstitute....

If you are experiencing any of these signs, it's important that you talk about it with a person you trust and visit your local GP for an assessment. Most people are able to recover from depression with the right support, the sooner you seek support, the better.

For more information about depression, visit the websites below:

https://headspace.org.au/asset...

https://www.blackdoginstitute....

Isabel Chopping

Chaplain