Recognizing the Signs of Depression
How Do You Know if You're Depressed?
Feb 24, 2007 Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
Recognizing the physical signs of depression will help you know if you're depressed. If you're a teenager or adolescent who is struggling with feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or despair, read Help for Depressed Teenagers.
Everyone gets a little depressed now and then; sometimes we feel depressed for no reason at all and other times we're sad about something specific, such as the loss of a parent or close friend. Regardless of the cause of depression, some feelings of sadness aren't permanent or debilitating. Some feelings of sadness are easily banished with a change of pace, such as a new job or hobby.
But, clinical or double depression can be a different story. Recognizing the signs of depression is the first step in treating it.
Physical Signs of Depression
Some feelings of sadness last longer and are worse than a simple case of "the blues." Depression affects your everyday functioning and depletes your energy and interests. Everything, even just getting out of bed, takes a huge effort when you're dealing with depression. Things that you once enjoyed become tedious and difficult due to depression.
All your body and life rhythms are disturbed when you're dealing with depression.
Behavior can be physical signs of depression:
- Withdrawal from people, work, pleasures, activities is one of the first signs of depression
- Spurts of restlessness can be signs of depression
- Sighing, crying, moaning
- Difficulty getting out of bed is a sign of depression
- Lower activity and energy levels
- Lack of motivation – it's a physical sign of depression when everything feels like an effort
Feelings can be physical signs of depression:
- Sadness, misery are "obvious" signs of depression
- Overwhelmed by everyday tasks (eg, cooking dinner)
- Numbness or apathy can be a sign of depression
- Anxiety, tension, irritability
- Helplessness is a sign of depression
- Low confidence and poor self-esteem are often signs of depression
- Disappointment, discouragement, hopelessness
- Feelings of unattractiveness or ugliness can be signs of depression
- Loss of pleasure and enjoyment are signs of depression
Thinking patterns can be physical signs of depression:
- Inability to make decisions
- Lack of concentration or focus can be a sign of depression
- Loss of interest in activities, people, and life
- Self-criticism, self-blame, self-loathing is often a signs of depression
- Pessimism can be a sign of depression
- Preoccupation with problems and failures can be a sign of depressed feelings
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide can be signs of depression
Body signals can be physical signs of depression:
- Fatigue, low energy, exhaustion are often signs of depression
- Poor sleeping patterns – waking early, not sleeping even when exhausted
- Loss of appetite or, occasionally, increased appetite can be a physical sign of depression
- Loss of sexual interest can be a sign of depression
Recognizing the signs of depression involves understanding that the range of behaviors above are possible signs of depressed feelings. If you exhibit one or two signs or behaviors in each category, then you may be depressed. If you exhibit just one or two signs of depression (eg, pessimism or loss of interest in intimacy), then you may be dealing with something other than depression, such as physical illness. A doctor can help you figure out if you're dealing with depression.
Child abuse, grief, failure, the loss of a friend, or even the death of a pet can trigger feelings of sadness, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're depressed.
Dealing With Depression is Different for Everyone
If you're depressed because you suffered a miscarriage, you may have different signs of depression than your coworker who perhaps has low levels of dopamine or noradrenaline (brain chemicals). The signs of depression will be different as well.
Some depressed people feel worse in the morning, and better as the day wears on. Others feel it at night, and toss and turn until the early hours of the morning. It depends on your personality, situation at home, and even what medications you're taking or illnesses you have.
Getting Help for Depression
Different causes of depression can cause different signs of depression. They also require different treatments for depression or antidepressants. The first step is to talk to your family doctor or a counselor. Reaching out to people and being as honest as you can is the primary way to get help with depression – so you can start enjoying life again!
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