Low mood and depression

3 minute read

Fast facts

1
Low mood and depression share some of the same signs and symptoms
2
Low mood and depression can have an impact on your epilepsy
3
Epilepsy can affect your mood
4
Everybody feels down from time to time and this is normal
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Low mood can be when you feel sad, worried, tired, frustrated, angry, anxious or panicky
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Depression is a low mood that doesn’t go away after a few weeks

Small changes you can make in your life can improve your mood, for example solving a difficult problem, talking to someone about what’s on your mind or getting more sleep Usually, low mood will tend to lift within a few days or weeks. If it lasts longer than that, and is affecting your day-to-day life, you might be depressed.

Around 1 in every 6 people in the UK will have depression. For people with epilepsy this is around 1 in 3. Depression is a low mood that doesn’t go away after a few weeks.

Signs of depression

Depression affects people in different ways but you might:

Feel sad or low for long periods of time
Feel hopeless or helpless
Feel guilty
Feel anxious or worried
Feel irritable
Feel tired all the time, with no energy
Sleep more or less than usual
Have no motivation or be unable to concentrate
Lose interest in things you normally enjoy
Lose interest in sex
Eat more or less than usual
Think about harming yourself or suicide

Depression and thoughts of suicide can be side-effects of some epilepsy medicines. Side-effects can be worse if you are given a high a dose, or the dose is increased too quickly. If you start having new symptoms after taking your epilepsy medicines, speak to your GP or epilepsy or epilepsy healthcare team.

To avoid feeling isolated, stay connected to the people you care about

Try to talk to people you trust about how you feel

Try to have a good sleep routine

Eat a balanced diet

Try not to drink too much alcohol

Try to be as active as you can

Depression

A short video about depression, self-help and how it’s treated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists
I had a black dog, his name was depression

A short animation by the World Health Organisation

Treating depression

Feeling depressed can be overwhelming and it can be difficult to ask for help. For some people, a combination of self-help, talking therapies and medicine is the most effective way of treating depression. if you think you might be depressed go and see your GP. You can take someone with you and it could be a step towards feeling better.

St John’s Wort, a herbal remedy for depression, can interact with some epilepsy medicines, so people with epilepsy shouldn’t use it without medical advice.

Information on how to access talking therapies is on the Mental wellbeing page.