Ask Sam letter

Hi,

Battling with depression can be extremely hard to cope with and sometimes things can feel so bad it can lead to self-harm or suicidal thoughts or feelings. Relapsing into depression can be a normal part of the recovery, but it’s important to tell someone so they know you still need help.

It might feel scary to think that depression has “come back” or that you might go through what you have in past. But this doesn’t change how you feel now. If you feel that your mental health is getting worse, let your doctor or counsellor know so that they can help you. Don’t let things get worse – you don’t have to go through this alone.

There can sometimes be pressure from others around you to “be better” and that you feel like you will be letting them down if you have had support before and it’s not worked. It's possible to leave depression behind for good and move on, but it’s important to do that when it has actually happened. If you still need support, it’s okay to tell people. You haven’t failed and it’s okay to be honest about your feelings.

During therapy, your counsellor or psychiatrist may feel that you have moved forward or that you no longer need support. Sometimes this can be true and you can be ready to move forward without that kind of support. But sometimes they may not actually know what you’re going through. Things can change or get worse and it’s totally normal and okay to go back for more therapy or support.

It can be very difficult to talk about, but the more honest and open you can be about how you really feel, the more the people around you can help. I encourage you to get that help - you deserve to feel happy and to have the support you need.

If you’d like to talk this over more, you can always speak to one of our ChildLine counsellors.

Take care,
Sam