How To Know When It’s Not Just The January Blues – Signs Your Mental Health May Need Attention

It can be hard to tell the difference between a low mood and mild depression, because the symptoms are similar. If this is the case for you, reflect on how long you’ve been feeling this way. Buckley suggested keeping a mood diary – it’s a useful way to track how long you’ve been feeling down. 

“If your low mood is interfering with your life and doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks, or if it keeps coming back on a regular basis, it could be a sign that you’re experiencing depression,” Buckley said. 

If your symptoms become disabling to everyday life, you should ask for help or talk to a health professional, advised Dr Antonis Kousoulis, associate director at the Mental Health Foundation: “For example, not being able to get out of bed, not getting any pleasure from activities you would normally enjoy, or feeling constantly anxious, sad or hopeless.”

Other symptoms that show your January blues might be a sign of depression include long periods of:

:: Low mood and tearfulness

:: Loss of appetite or eating too much unhealthy food

:: Sleep disruption

:: Turning down invitations to social events or making excuses not to attend

:: Drinking more alcohol

:: Feeling a need to avoid certain situations or people

:: Low self-esteem

:: Feeling guilty or worthless

:: Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Book in to see your GP if you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms above for longer than two weeks. 

[Read More: Put yourself into low power mode – it’s the perfect way to find calm]