Can you really say 'crap'?

We have worked with people all over Scotland who have experience of depression and the most common answer they tell us when we ask them what it’s like is: It’s just really crap.

That was the starting point for the campaign. We wanted to develop a campaign that would tap into these feelings, one that young adults would recognise and that just said it like it is. There is a chance that some people think that the word ‘crap’ is a swear word, but in the context of this campaign we think it is more important to use words that is real for young adults. We did check it out with the Advertising Standards Agency, and they said: “whilst the ads could draw complaints due to the use of the word “crap” in untargeted media, it would be unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence to readers.”

A lot of people hide their depression behind a mask that says that they are doing fine, when in reality they are really struggling to cope with life. This is the reality for approximately 1 in 10 of young adults living in Scotland right now.

Most people can, and do, recover from depression. Seeking help is crucial. Look ok…feel crap? encourages young adults to do just that. Depression can be particularly devastating when you are young and our work has shown that many young adults find it hard to describe how they actually feel when they have depression.

They often experience feelings of guilt and low self-esteem and can feel that they have somehow failed to cope with life pressures, particularly when comparing themselves with others. They can believe that others are judging them and would not understand, and public expectations to ‘go out there and embrace life’ can result in many young adults putting on a mask so that they appear to be coping well, or doing ok, when inside their feelings are intensifying and worsening. This can present a huge barrier to their seeking help, leaving many people suffering in silence.

Often there is no single cause of depression. Stressful life events can be a contributing factor and might include parental divorce, being bullied or alienated at school or because of their sexual or gender identity, relationship or money worries, starting a new job, settling in at College or University, worrying about exams or adapting to life as a young parent.

At Depression Alliance Scotland we work to improve the experience of people affected by depression and work to challenge the stigma associated with this misunderstood illness.

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