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It's important for nurses to know that just because their patient is suffering from depression, it's crucial not to treat them any differently. Be open and honest, being in a hospital is destressing enough yet alone having a nurse judge you on your mood.

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Visit the Mind website for information about support groups in your area.

If you're a carer and affected by depression, ring the Carers Direct helpline on 0300 123 1053 to find out how to meet other carers.

Or you can ask your GP or your local psychological therapies team about depression support groups in your area.

References

NHS (2022) Support Groups - Clinical Depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/clinical-depression/support-groups/ (Accessed: 26 May 2022).

Support groups - Clinical depression

Support groups - Clinical depression

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Depression can make you feel isolated. It can be helpful to meet with other people who understand what it's like. This is sometimes called peer support.

Self-help groups allow people with depression to provide, as well as receive, help.

How to find depression support groups

Visit the Mind website for information about support groups in your area.

If you're a carer and affected by depression, ring the Carers Direct helpline on 0300 123 1053 to find out how to meet other carers.

Or you can ask your GP or your local psychological therapies team about depression support groups in your area.

What happens at a support group?

Sitting and talking isn't the only thing that happens at meetings. Lots of groups organise social events and arrange special activities to help boost your mood and improve your wellbeing.

Going to a group for the first time can be daunting, but you can be sure of a warm welcome. People will understand how hard it can be to take that first step.

Find out how connecting with other people helps mental wellbeing

Other types of depression support

Attending a group and talking to other people who have experienced depression isn't for everyone.

There are other kinds of peer support that can help you cope with depression.

Online forums for depression

You can visit online forums where you can read about other people's experiences or write about your own and respond to other postings. Visit the Sane website.

Togetherall is an online service for people who have common, distressing mental health problems.

Through social networking, a community of people are supported by trained "wall guides" so they can manage their own mental health.

Online forums aren't for everyone. Depression UK has a penfriend scheme for members.

This is especially useful for people who don't have internet access or prefer letters and postcards to email.

Pursuing your interests

Being with other people who share your interests can also help you feel better.

You can use the internet or local newspapers to look up classes or activities in your area you might enjoy.

Volunteering

Lots of people experience feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem when they're depressed.

Helping other people by doing voluntary work is a good way of feeling useful and valued. There are all sorts of ways you can volunteer.

Time banks are an innovative way of volunteering your time and skills. You offer your skills in return for credits, which you can then use to "buy" someone else's services.

For example, you could offer 3 hours of gardening and, in exchange, receive a 1-hour language lesson and a 2-hour beauty treatment from other members.

Visit the Timebanking UK website to find out what's available in your area.

More help for depression

There are lots of treatment options for depression, including talking therapies, antidepressants and self-help of various kinds.

If you have been feeling down for more than 2 weeks, visit your GP to discuss your symptoms.

Check your mood with this mood self-assessment quiz.

Audio: low mood and depression

In this audio guide, a doctor explains what you can do to help yourself cope with low mood and depression.

Media last reviewed: 2 March 2021
Media review due: 2 March 2024

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Talking to other people with a similar experience can help people cope with depression. Find out about self-help groups for depression and other sources of support.

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Support Networks for People with Depression 

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Support Networks for People with Depression 

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Gotter (2017) establishes to help prevent depression,
it is important to exercise regularly, manage chronic conditions and build strong relationships and most importantly speak to someone.

Gotter, A. (2017) 15 Ways to Avoid Depression. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-avoid-depression (Accessed: 26 Mat 2022).

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Depression can be severe and life-altering, affecting the quality of life and the happiness of those who live with it. It's also a common condition. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it affects around 15 million Americans every year.

In some cases, it's possible to prevent depression, even if you've already had a previous episode.

There are many lifestyle changes and stress management techniques you can use to prevent or avoid depression. There are certain triggers that can cause us to experience depressive episodes. While triggers may be different for everyone, these are some of the best techniques you can use to prevent or avoid depression relapse.

Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can help in the treatment and prevention of depression in several key ways:

It
increases your body temperature, which can have a calming effect on the central
nervous system.

It
releases chemicals like endorphins, which can boost mood.

It
reduces immune system chemicals that may worsen depression.

All types of physical exercise can help treat depression, but it's best to exercise regularly. To get more exercise, you can:

Join
a sports team or studio (like yoga or kickboxing), where you'll be part of a community in addition
to being active.

Take
the stairs instead of the elevator.

Make
it a habit: This is the best way to maintain the fitness level that is most
effective in preventing depression.

Learn more about exercise, depression, and the brain "
Research has shown that increased social media usage can cause or contribute to depression and low self-esteem. Social media can be addicting, and it's a necessity to stay connected with family, friends, and even coworkers. It's how we plan and invite each other to events and share big news.

However, limiting social media time can help prevent depression. You can do this by:

deleting
all social apps from your phone

using
website-blocking extensions that only let you use certain sites for a preset
amount of time

only
going to social media with a purpose and avoiding logging on several times a
day just for something to do

Having a strong support system and an active social life is important for our mental health. Research has shown that having even "adequate" social support can protect against depression.

Make sure that you're regularly connecting with friends and family, even when your lives are busy. Attending social events when you can and finding new hobbies that could help you meet new people can all help you build new relationships too.

Have you ever walked into a theme park and been overwhelmed at what you want to do first? Researchers think that having too many choices can actually cause significant stress that can lead to depression.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz, author of the book "The Paradox of Choice," describes research that shows that when faced with too many choices, those who aim to make the best possible choice - "maximizers" - face higher rates of depression.

For many of us, our lives are filled with choices. Which outfit do we wear, and should we buy yogurt or eggs or bagels or English muffins or sausage for breakfast? The pressure of making the right - or wrong - choice is thought to contribute to depression.

If making choices stresses you out, simplify things. You can:

Learn
to be decisive more quickly.

Reduce
the decisions you'll have to make during the work week: Plan out your outfits,
and have your meals prepped and ready to go.

We've all met that person who just makes us feel bad about ourselves. Sometimes they're an outright bully, and other times they subtly put us down to make themselves feel better. They may even be someone who takes advantage of us. Regardless of the specific situation, toxic people should be avoided at all costs. They can lower our self-esteem.

One study from 2012 found that negative social interactions were linked to higher levels of two proteins known as cytokines. These two proteins are associated with inflammation as well as depression.

To avoid toxic people, you should:

Stay
away from anyone who makes you feel worse about yourself.

Cut
people out of your life who take advantage of you.

Know
the signs. If someone spreads rumors or talks badly about someone as soon as
they leave the room, they're likely to do the same for you.

Recent research has shown that regularly consuming a high-fat diet can have similar effects as chronic stress in terms of causing depression. In addition, an unhealthy diet can also deprive your body of vital nutrients it needs to maintain physical and mental health.

To prevent depression with your diet, you should:

Eat
balanced meals with lean protein, and lots of fruits and vegetables.

Reduce
high-sugar and high-fat foods.

Eliminate
processed foods from your diet as much as possible.

Incorporate
more omega-3s into your diet, with foods like salmon or nuts.

Obesity can result in low self-esteem, especially once you start adding in the judgements and criticisms of other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a clear correlation between being obese and experiencing depression. A national survey found that 43 percent of adults with depression were obese. Additionally, adults with depression were more likely to be obese than those without it.

If you're exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and eating well, maintaining a healthy weight should fall into place.

However, a number of different prescription medications can cause depression as a side effect. Read prescription labels carefully before taking them. You can talk to your doctor and see if other medications or treatments can resolve your condition without depression as a side effect.

A few medications that can cause depression include:

Smoking and depression can perpetuate each other, though any type of nicotine can act as a depression trigger.

To stop smoking, you can:

Focus
on your reason for quitting and remind yourself of this every time you're
tempted.

Know
what to expect ahead of time.

Tell
your friends and ask them to help hold you accountable.

Quit
at the same time as a friend.

15 tips for quitting smoking "

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How to Avoid Depression: Prevent Relapse and Avoid Triggers

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Depression can be severe and life-altering, affecting the quality of life and the happiness of those who live with it. It's also a common condition. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it affects around 15 million Americans every year. In some cases, it's possible to prevent depression, even if you've already had a previous episode.

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It is so important to speak out

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Preview of Spotify

Sign up to get unlimited songs and podcasts with occasional ads. No credit card needed.

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Dan Price Speaks On Why He Perfected The Art Of Smiling Depression & Thriving After a Suicide Attempt

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Listen to this episode from It Ain't Weak to Speak with Sam Webb on Spotify. Our guest today, Daniel Price, is an amazing guy who has turned his life around after two suicide attempts in the context of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of self-help, talking therapies and medicines.

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Case study clinical example CBT: First session with a client with symptoms of depression (CBT model)

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According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative, 18% of nurses exhibit symptoms of depression — double the rate within the general population. These numbers have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 50% of nurses treating patients with COVID-19 reporting signs of depression.

Reference
Vaughn, N. (2020) Depression and Anxiety in Nurses. Available at: https://www.relias.com/blog/depression-anxiety-in-nurses (Accessed: 26 May 2022).

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While most nurses are eager to discuss their profession with friends, family, and colleagues, conversations surrounding depression and anxiety among nurses remain taboo, despite the prevalence of these mental health conditions within the field.

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative, 18% of nurses exhibit symptoms of depression — double the rate within the general population. These numbers have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 50% of nurses treating patients with COVID-19 reporting signs of depression.

But as long as the stigma associated with mental health persists, many nurses, for fear of being viewed as weak or inferior, will continue to avoid seeking the mental health support they need. It falls on the shoulders of nursing leaders to support their staff and create spaces that encourage self-care over silent suffering. Mental health should be a priority for any healthcare facility, helping them improve their nurses’ overall well-being as well as the quality of care they provide their patients.

Why Are Nurses Prone to Depression and Anxiety?

Many of the factors that impact an individual’s mental health, including significant stress, an odd sleep schedule, and lack of support, are a normal part of a nurse’s profession. In fact, nurses often experience these challenges at a higher level than individuals working outside of the healthcare industry.

Some of the specific causes of anxiety and depression in nurses include:

High-Stress Situations

From a nurse’s first day on the job to their last, no two shifts are identical. Nurses are thrust into new situations daily, forced to take action and make quick decisions that could affect the difference between life and death for a patient. It’s a never-ending process of learning through experience. For individuals in a new nursing job, the anxiety induced by these high-stress situations can be even more pronounced, especially if they are exacerbated by insufficient peer or mentor support.

Fear of Causing Patient Harm

Even veteran nurses can find themselves feeling overwhelmed by their work. Nearly all healthcare professionals, regardless of their rank, are haunted by the fear of making a medical error. Unfortunately, many nurses are unable to leave this stress at the door when their shift is over, meaning it becomes a central part of their lives even when they are off the clock.

Finding Work/Life Balance

The difficulty of creating a clear division between work and home is a significant cause of anxiety and depression in nurses. Due to the nature of nurses’ shift schedules, which often prevent them from doing much more than eating and sleeping on their days off, finding the time to take a step back and focus on themselves and their families can be challenging.

Toxic Workplace Culture

Lateral violence among nurses is a major issue within the healthcare industry. A form of workplace bullying, lateral violence fosters feelings of failure and inadequacy in new nurses and can leave them without the support systems they need to thrive. It also heightens tensions within an already high-stress environment.

How Do Nurses Deal With Anxiety?

It is all too common for nurses to rarely acknowledge — either to themselves or to others — that they are experiencing anxiety or depression. This is largely out of fear of the prejudice and stigma often associated with mental health.

Many healthcare professionals continue to view emotional and psychological distress as a reflection of a nurse’s unsuitability for the industry, versus a reasonable reaction to the stressors they experience daily. Fearing they will be viewed as incompatible for their position, potentially leading to the loss of their job, nurses across the country choose to suffer in silence. This can make it harder for them to perform their duties well, compromising the quality of care they provide their patients.

The truth is that nurses can work with depression and anxiety, but they must take steps to address their mental health conditions if they want to succeed. Nurses can do this by:

Being Aware of the Issue: The first step to dealing with anxiety or depression is awareness. Understanding that mental health conditions do not impact an individual’s value and that they are not uncommon, especially in nursing, can empower nurses to seek the support they need.

Asking for Help: Asking for help means different things to different people. Some nurses may choose to ask for help in specific, stressful situations. Others will inform trusted individuals that they are dealing with depression or anxiety and that they may need assistance from time to time. Regardless of how a nurse asks for help, simply acknowledging that they need support helps ensure they are surrounded by a network of peers and mentors they can turn to at any given time.

Eating, Sleeping, and Relaxing: The long, grueling hours many nurses work can leave them feeling depleted, resulting in rising stress levels and burnout as well as anxiety and depression. Eating regular, healthy meals and sleeping well helps these professionals refuel and maintain a sense of balance. Relaxation practices, like deep breathing and meditation, can also help nurses lower their anxiety threshold.

Seeking Professional Support: Behavioral health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health counselors, can help nurses manage their anxiety and depression. These skilled professionals will empower nurses with coping techniques that help them manage their mental health and minimize its impact on their work.

Can I Be a Nurse If I Have Anxiety?

Absolutely. Pre-existing mental health conditions do not preclude individuals from being a successful nurse. The most important thing for nurses with anxiety — whether it is something they developed independently from nursing or during the early stages of their career — is that they take steps to care for their psychological well-being. That includes practicing self-care, seeking professional support when necessary, and building strong support systems at home and at work.

It is also important for nurses with anxiety to remember that they are not alone. Nursing is an extremely difficult and stressful profession and what they are experiencing is not uncommon. Asking for help or sharing challenges is a sign of strength, not weakness, and will lead to greater nursing success than suffering in silence.

How To Identify Stress Among Nurses

It can be difficult to identify mental health conditions among nurses. Anxiety and depression manifest differently depending on the individual and many of the standard symptoms of these conditions are considered normal for nurses given the inherent stress of their jobs.

To help them identify anxiety or depression among their staff, nurse administrators must strive to identify any changes — even subtle ones — in each nurse’s behavior. Although these symptoms should never be used as a diagnosis, they can help open the door to constructive conversations between employers and employees. Symptoms to watch out for include:

Difficulty with time management and concentration

Slow responses during a crisis

Frequent accidents or medical errors

Limited ability to perform mental tasks, like calculating doses or care mapping

Reclusivity and/or poor interpersonal skills

Temper issues, including having a “short fuse” that leads to outbursts toward coworkers, family, or even patients

Symptoms normally associated with burnout, including emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and depersonalization

How To Support Nurses Suffering From Anxiety and Depression

Nurse administrators can support nurses suffering from anxiety and depression by mentoring and guiding them through difficult situations. Administrators that maintain a healthy, open attitude regarding mental health can also help nurses feel safe coming forward with their mental health challenges. Other ways leaders can support their staff include:

Educating Staff: Education is one of the best ways to support new and veteran nurses alike. Education can help nurses realize that they may be suffering from mental health issues while also destigmatizing anxiety and depression. Education is also a way to demonstrate to staff that talking about mental health is a good thing and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

Creating Support Systems: Having reliable support systems in place is critical when it comes to navigating mental health for nurses. Leaders should encourage and develop mentorship and peer relationships between nurses and create space for nurses to discuss their mental health concerns. These efforts allow nurses to realize they are not alone, validating their experiences and helping them get the support they need.

Promoting Self-Care: As discussed above, self-care is paramount when it comes to dealing with anxiety and depression. But taking care of our well-being is easier said than done — especially in a profession that values endless resilience. Nurses must be encouraged to offer themselves the same grace, compassion, and attention typically reserved for others. Nursing leaders can promote self-care by modeling appropriate work-life balance and encouraging nurses to take breaks during the workday.

Sharing Resources: Improving access to internal and external behavioral health resources, including contact information for mental health counselors and crisis hotlines, free mental health screenings, and more can inspire nurses to seek help early, before their conditions intensify. If possible, leaders should work with HR to collect and share appropriate resources as often as possible.

Destigmatize Mental Health Issues From the Top Down

Nursing jobs can cause anxiety and depression in even the most resilient of individuals, yet the stigma surrounding mental health persists. Instead of seeking help, many nurses try to suppress their suffering for fear of judgment or penalty. But that silence doesn’t benefit anyone. It is up to nurse administrators to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and ensure their teams feel supported.

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Anxiety and depression directly impact nurses, yet the prevailing stigma prevents them from receiving the support they need. Learn how to identify the symptoms and better support your staff.

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The NHS highlights that depression has many symptoms including not just psychological but physical symptoms as well. These include;

Psychological symptoms

The psychological symptoms of depression include:

continuous low mood or sadness

feeling hopeless and helpless

having low self-esteem

feeling tearful

feeling guilt-ridden

feeling irritable and intolerant of others

having no motivation or interest in things

finding it difficult to make decisions

not getting any enjoyment out of life

feeling anxious or worried

having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself

Physical symptoms

The physical symptoms of depression include:

moving or speaking more slowly than usual

changes in appetite or weight (usually decreased, but sometimes increased)

constipation

unexplained aches and pains

lack of energy

low sex drive (loss of libido)

changes to your menstrual cycle

disturbed sleep – for example, finding it difficult to fall asleep at night or waking up very early in the morning

References
NHS (2022) Symptoms - Clinical Depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/clinical-depression/symptoms/ (Accessed: 26 May 2022).

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The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. If you're depressed, you may feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy.
The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life.

There are many other symptoms of depression and you're unlikely to have all of those listed on this page.

Psychological symptoms

The psychological symptoms of depression include:

continuous low mood or sadness

feeling hopeless and helpless

having low self-esteem

feeling tearful

feeling guilt-ridden

feeling irritable and intolerant of others

having no motivation or interest in things

finding it difficult to make decisions

not getting any enjoyment out of life

feeling anxious or worried

having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself

Physical symptoms

The physical symptoms of depression include:

moving or speaking more slowly than usual

changes in appetite or weight (usually decreased, but sometimes increased)

constipation

unexplained aches and pains

lack of energy

low sex drive (loss of libido)

changes to your menstrual cycle

disturbed sleep - for example, finding it difficult to fall asleep at night or waking up very early in the morning

Social symptoms

The social symptoms of depression include:

avoiding contact with friends and taking part in fewer social activities

neglecting your hobbies and interests

having difficulties in your home, work or family life

Severities of depression

Depression can often come on gradually, so it can be difficult to notice something is wrong. Many people try to cope with their symptoms without realising they're unwell. It can sometimes take a friend or family member to suggest something is wrong.

Doctors describe depression by how serious it is:

mild depression - has some impact on your daily life

moderate depression - has a significant impact on your daily life

severe depression - makes it almost impossible to get through daily life; a few people with severe depression may have psychotic symptoms

Grief and depression

It can be difficult to distinguish between grief and depression. They share many of the same characteristics, but there are important differences between them.

Grief is an entirely natural response to a loss, while depression is an illness.

People who are grieving find their feelings of sadness and loss come and go, but they're still able to enjoy things and look forward to the future.

In contrast, people who are depressed constantly feel sad. They find it difficult to enjoy anything or be positive about the future.
Read more about coping with grief and bereavement

Other types of depression

There are different types of depression, and some conditions where depression may be one of the symptoms. These include:

postnatal depression - sometimes new mothers, fathers or partners develop depression after they have a baby; this is known as postnatal depression and it's treated in a similar way to other types of depression, with talking therapies and antidepressant medicines

bipolar disorder - also known as "manic depression", in bipolar disorder there are spells of both depression and excessively high mood (mania); the depression symptoms are similar to clinical depression, but the bouts of mania can include harmful behaviour, such as gambling, going on spending sprees and having unsafe sex

seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - also known as "winter depression", SAD is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern usually related to winter

Read more about diagnosing depression

When to seek help

See a GP if you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than 2 weeks.

A low mood may improve after a short time.
Read more about low mood and depression

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The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. If you're depressed, you may feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy. The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life.

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Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time and affects your everyday life.

In its mildest form, depression can mean just being in low spirits. It doesn't stop you from leading your normal life but makes everything harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, depression can be life-threatening because it can make you feel suicidal (MIND, 2022).

References
MIND (2022) Depression. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-IR48Mb3W0&t=8s (Accessed: 26 May 2022).