Low mood

Children show their emotions – like guilt, hopelessness, anger and sadness in their behaviour. They might be tearful, stop activities they previously enjoyed, or withdraw from friends.

Sometimes they get physical symptoms like headaches, nausea, fatigue or you notice they’re not eating or sleeping as they normally would. Their thoughts about themselves may suddenly become negative. You might hear them use phrases like: “I’m useless at everything” or “I’m ugly”.

Older children and young people may try alcohol and drugs or self-harm. They may skip school, or stay away from home, or become more violent or destructive.

• It's tough to hear your child struggling like this. Being able to talk is crucial in helping them tell you their feelings.
• Listen in a non-judgemental way and don’t try to deny those negative thoughts straight away. Give children the time and encouragement to challenge their thoughts for themselves.
• Don’t ask too many questions in one go. Allow your child to think, maybe do something while you chat like go for a walk or do some cooking together, so they feel less like the focus is all on them.
• Your child’s low mood may not lift immediately, so be patient and check in regularly with them.

Small lifestyle changes can also make a big difference when it comes to helping your child manage their feelings, and lift their own mood.

• Encourage your child to spend time with others, playing games, cooking or watching films.
• Encourage them to get active. It’s so good for their mood, will help release those all-important feel-good hormones and encourage them to leave the ‘safety’ of being indoors.
• Helping others and having responsibilities can be a great way of gaining self-esteem and mood-lifter.
• Learning mindfulness techniques can give your child tools to help manage more difficult days. Work with them to create a self-care plan.
• Help them to plan activities, especially if their low mood is due to feeling overwhelmed by expectations from school or other areas.

If your child feels low for more than a couple of weeks, and the feelings are stopping them from taking part in normal activities, you may need extra help. The longer your child has low mood, the more likely they will be to stop taking part in things that previously made them happy. This in turn can lead to a deeper sense of low mood, so it’s important to get that extra support. Speak to your GP or school or contact one of the services below.

If you need emergency medical help call 999 immediately or take your child to the nearest accident and emergency department at a hospital.