Film-maker Megan tells of her 'Battle' with depression

The 22-year-old student is directing and writing the short film after emerging from her own personal battle with depression as a teenager.

Megan, who needs to raise €5,500 for the film Battle, which is due to air at Irish film festivals next year, also took the opportunity to tell parents to keep an eye on children and teenagers over the holiday season for signs they might be struggling to cope.

"Sometimes you can have the most supportive people around you but you still don't talk. I felt that my problems weren't important enough to bring to them and that no one could really help me," she told the Sunday Independent.

"I wrote Battle with that time of my life in mind, to tell the simple story of a girl who found strength in music and hope that other young women who suffer with depression will be inspired to find their own way of realising their worth and draw strength from even their most difficult experiences."

Speaking about her own struggle, she added: "I was bullied a lot as a kid, as many are, but I couldn't handle it as well as some can. I began to retreat into myself more and more as I grew older. By the time I was 12, I had resigned myself to feeling that I would always be the butt of other kids' jokes, and that I really wasn't worth much to anyone. Because of this feeling of worthlessness, I never spoke to anyone about how I felt, I just thought 'some people are sad, and some are happy, I am one of the sad ones'. I reached my lowest point in my early teens.

"Through therapy and writing and music; I developed a confidence that I never really had before. When I found something I was good at and that I loved, I found a way out."

She warned parents to be on the lookout for signs that a youngster in their family is withdrawn or constantly tired, but stressed that each case is dependent on the child or teenager in question:

"I hate talking about symptoms as each case is very individual but from my personal experience I was very tired the whole time - fatigue is a classic symptom of depression - and when my parents asked how my day was, I was very monosyllabic and withdrawn and I would use any excuse to be by myself and stay in my room.

"I would tell anyone who is experiencing the same as a child or teenager that the idea that school is the best days of your life is not necessarily true - it actually can be the toughest time for a lot of kids. You will grow and get stronger and the people who are cruel to you now won't be in your life for very long, so pick something that you are good at and that you love and focus on that to help you get through it. That's the best advice I can give to anyone. I would also say to talk, you mightn't think it will help but I promise you it will - so find someone you can talk to who will support you, either someone in your family or a school counsellor."

Megan joins a growing number of young Irish speaking out about depression including musician Niall Breslin, Cavan goalkeeper Alan O'Mara and Irish cricketer John Mooney.

To donate to the making of 'Battle' log on to www.battleshortfilm.com