When we talk about depression, most of us presume it as a severe clinical condition, where a person is always sad or crying, but there are many hidden signs that you might be suffering from this disease unknowingly.
Depression, in a milder version, includes specific clues or habits that often gets overshadowed by our day to day busy life. It impacts us in many aspects, and it's of prime importance to know the signs that you might be depressed.
On today's health column, MarriedWiki talks about the Top eight masked signs of depression.
8. Fatigue and Lack of Energy
In this fast-moving world, we're always tired due to workloads or busy schedules, but the level of tiredness that we're talking here is lack of energy to do small things.
It can include fatigue to wake up in the morning and get oneself a glass of water. It also consists of the inability to focus on work or meet the deadlines, seeking no motivation to do anything.
7. Insomnia or Excessive Sleeping
A depressed person has a high level of stress hormones, cortisol, and norepinephrine. When stress increases, one finds difficult to sleep and suffers insomnia. Dr. Barbara E. Ensor, a psychologist at Stella Marin, states "the body isn't getting clues that it needs to sleep when one is depressed."
And as they don't get enough sleep, these people sleep excessively, lying on the bed all day, shutting off their responsibilities through rest.
6. Acting Recklessly
One can get a bit strayed away from the path when he/she starts suffering from depression. Hence, other hidden signs can be acting recklessly and taking dangerous risks like speed driving, excessive drinking, gambling, involved in multiple sexual activities and so on.
These signs are seen mainly in men, and they often get confused while taking a decision, like distinguishing between what is the right thing to do and what is not, that can often lead to death and other mishaps.
5. Inexplicable Anger
Anger itself is a clinical disorder, and while most assume getting angry at small things is just a character of a person, it might be signaling that the person is suffering from depression.
Anger, especially in men is the easiest way to express the sad feelings. For example, a person who's divorced might not be sad but angry at small things like yelling at kids or getting irritated on little things. It is a warning sign of depression.
4. Excessive Busy Life
Having a busy life might be useful to make yourself a step ahead of everyone, but experts suggest that busy schedules are used by most to stay away from their feelings. Workaholics might come off as people who are social, getting indulge in different activities or groups but they might be staying on autopilot.
Studies also suggest that working 24/7 can be a symptom of depression and other serious mental health issues.
3. Forgetfulness
Forgetfulness is a typical behavior in a person. For instance, we often forget where we put our things the other day, but it doesn't happen every single hour. But if it does then, it could be one of the signs of depression.
Depressed people have a hard time focusing as they're distracted by other problems going on their life, and they often forget many important things. Forgetfulness is pronounced in depression, and it is also termed as pseudodementia.
2. Physical Pain
Physical pain like muscle pain or a persistent headache can be one of the leading symptoms of depression, and many physicians don't even realize that it's depression. It includes aches, pain, cramps that don't seem to go away.
Also, the pain arises out of nowhere, and the diagnosis is often difficult in such case. So during such episode, it's wise for all practitioners to consider depression as the cause.
1. Eating Disorder
Eating Disorder is one of the early signs of depression, and if you're having dietary hassles along with symptoms mentioned above then it's better to seek out help as soon as possible.
When we're depressed, our stress level increase and we tend to lose appetite or overeat. And if this transition occurs from time to time then it is a sign of depressive episode.
Dr. Simon Rego, Director of Psychology Training at Montefiore Medical Center in NYA reports that a weight gain of at least 5 percent of total body weight in a short time span (a month) can be considered a symptom of depression.
Depression is a dangerous disease, and it's easy for anyone to slip inside this hole of sadness and bitterness without even knowing. It needs awareness and proper attention for which we can always seek a therapist or a loved one too. Medications, meditation, and counseling are the best options for treatment.