Depression is a painful phase which is not too uncommon and many face at some point in life. Here are some signs that ring the bell that one is facing a mental challenge.
Lack of energy.
There is a feeling of constant anxiety, of pressure, sadness and hopelessness. One feels that it is too difficult a task to even get out of bed in the morning. Things that once made us happy, are now painful to even think about. There is not enough motivation to do anything. The person feels tired all the time, leading to the other social distancing, obesity, and more health problems, depending on how much time they spend in this phase.
Sleep disorders.
One faces difficulty in getting to sleep properly or on the other hand, can sleep all the time. The quality of the sleep though is low, because feelings and dreams can impact it. Nightmares are very common. Before going to sleep, thoughts flood the mind, and no positive ones for sure. When waking up, the energy is really low, leading to staying in bed forever.
Despair.
There is a loss of optimism, of the feeling that things can and will get better in the future. The depressed individual fells like things are bad and they will never get better, that there is no hope for the future and things will only get worse. There is no ray of light incoming.
Guilt.
The person feels bad and inadequate. Shame is also a feeling that comes along and these feelings result into more loneliness and solitude which just enhance the vicious cycle. This leads to behaving outside the society(not attending social gatherings, not answering the phone etc.).The individual knows that the situation is their fault and they are “bad” people, not possessing any positive qualities.
Appetite disorders.
When in a state of depression, one can easily ask comfort in food. It becomes a habit, seeking security by putting food in the mouth, like when we were babies, seeking our mother. On the other hand, the feeling of guilt and self-disgust can go to the extreme of anorexia. One cannot stand themselves and decides to hurt their image to the maximum. Appetite is linked to moodswings.
Suicidal thoughts.
When one loses the energy and will for life, the next level are thoughts of death. There are levels here though, ranging from thinking of death, to thinking that dying would not be so bad(actually even better), to making organized preparations for suicide. If things get to this point, immediate help is required.
So, in general, the symptoms of depression can be summarized into 4 categories:
- Mood symptoms, which are generally the main and first symptoms for recognizing depression
- Physical symptoms, such as weight disorder, energy and sleep related issues
- Behavioral symptoms like loneliness and sadness
- Cognitive ones, which affect the capacity to make decisions, think positively, memory challenges and concentration
A person facing depression, can be spotted by the first set of mood symptoms while all others can exist at the same time, it is not a linear process.
If you spot any of the above on yourself, try and discover why is it that you feel like that. Then, proper help must be sought after. Depression is easy to get out of hand if proper steps are not taken. There can come a point of no return, but there are a lot of little signs along the way that can help draw the line and not allow things to get out of hand.
Mental stability is what it is all about. This process can eliminate risks not only from depression, but from a wide range of issues.
