How do you manage school and life in general when you're depressed?

[DetectivePanda]

I'm a 16-year-old male in year 11, and I've been feeling quite depressed recently, or more than usual, which has made it difficult for me to function as well as I should. I've started CBT and taking antidepressants, but I'm worried that if I keep going at this rate, things will only get worse and I'll fall further behind in school and life. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I've been attempting to complete some schoolwork, but it's difficult when you don't have any motivation, and I'm worried about falling further behind and missing classes, which is making me even more stressed, and my parents are frustrated and disappointed in me because they're receiving calls from my teachers and may soon receive some warning letters, which adds to the stress. On top of that, I don't even do much except lie down on my bed and just sleep or try to pass the time and distract myself from my thoughts and emotions by playing or watching something which is extremely unhealthy but I don't know what else to do.

[Sophie_M]

Hi Detective Panda, 

We are really sorry to hear that you are not feeling well and that you have been managing your depression while trying your best to stay motivated at school. It is great that you are seeing a professional and we hope that both CBT and medication can be helpful for you in managing the symptoms. It is wonderful that you have been able to reach out for support here on the forums and we want to thank you for showing the courage to ask for help. You never know who might read your post and feel less alone in their own experiences. 

We think that it might be good to call KidsHelpline on 1800 55 1800 to talk about these feelings. You can also call us on 1300 22 4636 anytime. We are here for you, you don't have to go through this alone. 

Welcome to the forums and thank you for showing the courage to post about how you are feeling. It can be really tough to share these thoughts, but this has been a great step on the journey to feeling better within yourself. 

Kind regards, 
Sophie M

[Gambit87]

Hi DetectivePanda,

Welcome to the forums! It takes courage and strength to reach out!

Depression can be pretty brutal and I can relate to your lack of motivation when trying to do things.

Something my psychologist said to me recently was that when you're in recovery, you can usually pin point when your depression started. Ive been thinking about that and I realised my depression started when I was around your age. I didn't get help until I was 33 (34 now).

I encourage you to reach out and talk about what your going through. Parents, friends, family, doctor, psychologist etc. One of my biggest regrets was not reaching out to people to get help and when I did - it felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.

Be kind to yourself and celebrate the small wins.

Try and go for a walk - even if its around the corner or to your local cafe or something.

Life with depression is hard, but as hard as it appears now, it does get better.

were here for you!