Low mood, sadness and depression

Support is also available if you're finding it hard to cope with low mood, sadness or depression.

Coronavirus advice

Get advice about coronavirus and looking after your mental wellbeing:

Symptoms of a low mood

Symptoms of a general low mood may include feeling:

sad
anxious or panicky
more tired than usual or being unable to sleep
angry or frustrated
low on confidence or self-esteem

A low mood often gets better after a few days or weeks.

It's usually possible to improve a low mood by making small changes in your life. For example, resolving something that's bothering you or getting more sleep.

Symptoms of depression

If you have a low mood that lasts 2 weeks or more, it could be a sign of depression.

Other symptoms of depression may include:

not getting any enjoyment out of life
feeling hopeless
not being able to concentrate on everyday things
having suicidal thoughts or thoughts about harming yourself

If you're not sure how you feel, try our mood self-assessment.

Things you can try to help with a low mood

Do

try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to
try the 6 ways to feel happier, which are simple lifestyle changes to help you feel more in control and able to cope
find out how to raise your self-esteem
consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website
try mindfulness, where you focus on the present moment
listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides

search and download relaxation and mindfulness apps or online community apps from the NHS apps library

Don’t

do not try to do everything at once; set small targets that you can easily achieve
do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
try not to tell yourself that you're alone – most people feel low sometimes and support is available

try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve a low mood. These can all contribute to poor

Further information and support

The mental health charity Mind offers more information on:

Your Mind Plan on the Every Mind Matters website sends personalised tips and advice to your email inbox.

Where to get NHS help for a low mood

Referring yourself for therapy

If you need more support, you can get free psychological therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS.

You can refer yourself directly to an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT) without a referral from a GP.

Find an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT)

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

you've had a low mood for more than 2 weeks
you're struggling to cope with a low mood
things you're trying yourself are not helping
you would prefer to get a referral from a GP

Coronavirus update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

visit their website
use the NHS App
call them

Find out about using the NHS during coronavirus

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:

you need help urgently, but it's not an emergency

111 can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone. Go to 111.nhs.uk or call: 111.

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

you or someone you know needs immediate help
you have seriously harmed yourself – for example, by taking a drug overdose

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency.

Find your nearest A&E

Causes of a low mood

There are many reasons why you might feel low at some point in your life.

Any sort of difficult event or experience could lead to sadness or low self-esteem. Sometimes it's possible to feel low without there being an obvious reason.

Identifying the cause

If you know what's causing your low mood it might be easier to find ways to manage it.

Some examples of things that may cause a low mood include:

work – feeling pressure at work, unemployment or retirement
family – relationship difficulties, divorce or caring for someone
financial problems – unexpected bills or borrowing money
health – illness, injury or losing someone (bereavement)

Even significant life events such as buying a house, having a baby or planning a wedding could lead to feelings of sadness.

You might find it hard to explain to people why you feel this way, but talking to someone could help you find a solution.

Find out more about the 5 steps to mental wellbeing.

Conditions related to low mood and depression

Symptoms	Possible cause
feeling low or depressed in a seasonal pattern, usually during winter	seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
feeling low or depressed after the birth of a child	postnatal depression

Page last reviewed: Mon Oct 2020 Next review due: Mon Oct 2020