Depression & Behaviour

Negative thoughts can lead you to feeling withdrawn or isolated and lonely. Some of the behaviours this can trigger are:

• Avoiding tasks that require energy or effort
• Putting off important tasks until you feel better
• Avoiding family or friends
• Sleeping a lot or having trouble sleeping
• Misusing alcohol and other substances
• Overeating, not eating enough or not eating healthily
• Doing solitary activities, playing video games or watching TV alone.

Humans need social interaction to thrive. When we isolate ourselves, it heightens any negative feelings we are experiencing. It can be very easy to get stuck in a vicious cycle, where the actions we take cause us to feeling more and more alone and isolated, which in turn makes us withdraw further from our social groups and that can make it harder to reach out for help when we really need it.