Sometimes the signs aren’t always clear. If you find yourself feeling a sudden heavy emotion in stressful situations from time to time, you may not be suffering from depression. However, if you find yourself feeling low, down, or sad continuously over a period of time (2-3 weeks), you may want to start seeking help.
But how will I know if I’m depressed?
According to BeyondBlue.org, In most instances, people who suffer from depression often have loss of interest or pleasure in their day-to-day lives and activities. Going to the grocery store seems like a daunting task, going outside is meaningless, and even talking to others feels unimportant.
For those who feel they have suffered from depression, they usually experience several of the signs and symptoms across at least four of the categories below:
Pay Attention To Your Behavior
If you’re not going out anymore, not
getting things done at work/school, withdrawing from close family and friends, relying on alcohol and sedatives, not doing usually enjoyable activities or unable to concentrate, you may be suffering from depression.
Pay attention to your behavior and your day-to-day actions. Where do you go most? What do you find yourself doing? Asking these questions may lead to your answers.
Pay Attention To Your Feelings
How do you feel? Feeling of overwhelm, guilt, and irritation are common. Some other feelings that may arise may be frustration, lack of confidence, unhappiness, indecisiveness, disappointment, miserableness, and sadness.
Pay Attention To Your Thoughts
Your thoughts could be a clear window of how you really feel about yourself. Some with depression often think: ‘I’m a failure,’ ‘It’s my fault,’ ‘Nothing good ever happens to me,’ ‘I’m worthless,’ ‘Life’s not worth living,’ ‘People would be better off without me.’
Pay attention to
what your conscious is telling you because it is often what you’re trying to tell yourself.
Pay Attention To The Physical
How we feel on the inside is often displayed on the outside. We can see it in our faces, feel it in our stomachs, and hear it in our heads. Pay attention if you are tired all the time, sick and run down, experience headaches and muscle pains, a churning gut, sleep problems, loss or change of appetite, and significant weight loss or gain.
If you think that you or someone you know may be experiencing depression, seek help from a local health professional. They can guide you through the illness and give you key steps to overcoming depression.
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.
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