Depression is a very serious condition. It can have a huge impact on your quality of life. It can lead to feelings of severe sadness and worthlessness.
If not treated, it can result in a suicide attempt. It is important that you are able to recognize the 7 signs of depression. The sooner you understand that you are slipping into depression, the sooner you can seek help.
Most Common Signs of Depression
1. Irritability.
Many people believe that depression causes sadness. While this is true, there are people who experience irritability and anger rather than sadness and misery.
If you have noticed that you are more angry and short tempered than usual, it may not be due to a high-stress level, you could be experiencing the early signs of depression.
2. Changes in Your Sleep Pattern.
Not being able to sleep once in a while is not a cause for alarm, however, if you are having trouble sleeping every night, it is a sign of depression.
Lack of sleep isn’t the only warning sign. If you find that you are sleeping more than usual and getting out of bed is a struggle, you could be suffering from depression.
3. Aches and Pains.
There is a link between depression and your body. Many people who suffer from depression experience aches and pains. If you feel achy and you are not sick and you didn’t overdo it at the gym, you may be suffering from depression.
Most people don’t understand it, but your body can be physically affected by depression.
4. Less Energy Than Usual.
Depression can take all the energy from your body. If you often feel weak and tired but you are getting enough sleep, you could be experiencing the early signs of depression. This is especially true if small tasks that never tired you out before suddenly have started to.
5. Feelings of Guilt and Worthlessness.
If you are often blaming yourself for things in life that are beyond your control, you could be depressed.
Also, people who are depressed often feel worthless. If you are down on yourself and overly critical, you might want to seek help from a professional. If you ignore these feelings, they will only consume you until you are no longer able to deal with your emotions.
6. Reckless Behavior.
Reckless behavior is a sign that you could be suffering from depression.
If you are frequently gambling, being promiscuous, or abusing drugs or alcohol, you should seek professional help immediately. Not only are these types of behaviors dangerous, they will only get worse until you get treatment for depression.
7. Difficulty Concentrating.
If you are having trouble concentrating or if you always feel like you are in a fog, you could be suffering from depression.
It is not uncommon for a person with depression to get distracted and forget appointments or misplace everyday objects. There are many mood disorders that can result in difficulty concentrating, so you would need to seek the help of a professional before the problem becomes too serious.
At some point in their life, one in 10 people will experience depression. Many people who are depressed don’t even realize it.
The symptoms of your depression vary based on the level of depression that you are suffering from.
The cause of depression is different for everyone. The one common factor regarding depression is that you should never ignore the signs of depression.
It is a very serious condition that can escalate if you don’t get the help that you need. The sooner you receive treatment, the sooner you will start to feel better.
