We all have our ups and downs. Life can make sure of that. A period of sadness is understandable after some difficulty in your life, whether it’s problems at work, in your relationships, or personal struggles. However, if you’re having trouble lifting your head back up, you may need a little extra support, and the longer you go without it, the more difficult everything can seem. Here, we’re going to look at the signs that you may be coping with depression, and what to do about it.
When It’s Lasting A Lot Longer Than Usual
Bad moods can definitely linger, especially if you’re dealing with deep emotional wounds like grief, but if it’s lasting more than a couple of weeks, then it’s likely more than just temporary sadness. Depression can feel like a constant heaviness or numbness, and recognizing this persistence can be your first step towards also realizing you don’t have to live with it.
Losing Interest In Things You Love
If the activities that once brought you joy no longer do anything for you, this is a classic sign of depression called anhedonia. It’s one of the clearest signs that it’s more than just a bad mood, and that seeking a therapist for depression can help you shift things. Depression does not have to be the state of things going forward..
Changes In Sleep, Appetite, Or Energy
Depression can affect more than just your mood. You might have difficulty falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much on the other hand. You might feel no appetite or be overeating. You may also feel you have no energy at all. A medical approach to depression, such as antidepressants, can treat all of the symptoms, not just those that affect how you feel. It’s a clear sign that it’s a real physical problem, not just an imaginary change in your feelings..
You’re Being Much Harder On Yourself
When we are depressed, our inner voice can turn cruel, and harsh self-talk, with thoughts of being a “failure” or a “burden,” can become overwhelming. You may dismiss compliments, struggle to accept love, or feel undeserving of happiness. These thoughts are symptoms, not any kind of objective truth. Approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy can help us become a lot more aware of our thought cycles and how we can help them get back on a healthy track.
Thinking Of Giving Up
If you feel like things are hopeless or that life will not improve, these are red flags that you should act on urgently. Even if you’re not specifically thinking of self-harm, the psychological damage of this mindset should be stopped as soon as possible. You’re overwhelmed, and finding someone to talk to, be it a friend, therapist, or even a hotline, can help you pull back from that edge. There is always hope, even when your brain doesn’t let you see it.
Depression affects us all a little differently, and it may be hard to recognize at first. However, once you do recognize it, it’s important to also realize that there are multiple approaches to help you deal with it and get things back on an even keel.
