Nicola Coughlan health: ‘I couldn’t get out of bed’ Derry Girls star’s depression battle

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Nicola Coughlan, 33, told how she had to move from London when she was younger because she hadn’t made it as an actor, and as a result she spiralled into a deep depression. She explained: “I hadn’t had an audition in about a year. I had no money in my bank account, so I had to move back in with my parents.

“I was so depressed, and it was so hard. It was a very slow recuperation from that.

“I couldn’t get out of bed. I felt like I failed at everything. I felt like I had nothing, and I had let my family down.

“You think all these terrible things about yourself and that was made worse because I had taken out a loan and I just kept thinking about being in financial debt.”

Coughlan added: “If I wanted to go for coffee, I needed to ask my parents. I was like, ‘I’m 28, I’m too old to have done this!’

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“I started to think — and it’s such a dangerous mindset — that I didn’t want to be around people because I didn’t want to make them feel down.

“I thought if I went out with my friends, I’d be the worthless person in the corner — but that’s such a dangerous way of thinking.”

But Nicola’s family were her lifeline during her dark time and helped her regain her sense of self-worth.

She continued to Glamour magazine: “There wasn’t one thing that turned it around for me — I got myself out of that stage very slowly.

“It was my family being amazing and my sister literally pulling me out of bed and making me go for a run.

“Stuff like that gave me a sense of purpose again and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days, according to the NHS.

It explains: “Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.

“Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They’re wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression is not a sign of weakness or something you can ‘snap out of’ by ‘pulling yourself together’.

“The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery.”

So how do you know if you’ve got depression?

The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. At its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal.

Psychological symptoms of depression can include continuous low mood or sadness, feeling hopeless and helpless, having low self-esteem and feeling tearful.

Physical symptoms of depression are moving or speaking more slowly than usual, changes in appetite or weight and unexplained aches and pains.

And social symptoms can include avoiding contact with friends and taking part in fewer social activities, neglecting your hobbies and interests, and having difficulties in your home, work or family life.

You should see a GP if you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks.

The NHS advises a low mood may improve after a short time.

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