Recognizing Depression
Could there be more to your sadness than just a momentary emotion?
Feeling unhappy from
time to time is a usual part of life. It could be because of disintegrating
dreams, unsuccessful relationship or something else. But when misery and emptiness won’t go away,
it may be DEPRESSION. It’s more than
just sadness. More than that, it is hard for you to function
and enjoy life like you once did. You’re
weary all the time. Or you’re typical hobbies and friends don’t interests you
like you’ve used to. When depression
happens, all things may feel hopeless.
While experiencing sadness is usual, if you feel that it is
uncontrollable, it might be time to observe yourself. You need to learn and understand depression.
What is depression?
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that
can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious,
empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless. They may lose
interest in activities that once were enjoyable, experience loss of appetite or
overeating, or problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions;
and may contemplate or attempt suicide.
Some people define depression as “living in a black hole”. Yet, some depressed people don’t feel sad at
all. They may feel insensible or
indifferent. Some men may even feel irritated and fidgety.
Could you be depressed? Many people don’t identify
their own mental condition before it’s too late. So, don’t be one of them. Here are a few
important ideas to consider when faced with possible depression:
- Body isn’t functioning. Experiencing fatigue, exhaustion, and very low energies. Having difficulty to sleep at night.
- Behavior is unusual. You can’t get any work done. You find yourself crying with no reason at all.
- You can’t think straight. You are fixated on your problems and can’t think with possible solutions.
Whatever the signs, depression is different from usual sadness in
that it overcomes your day-to-day life, meddling with your capacity to work,
eat, sleep, and have fun.
The road to recovery…
If you think you might be depressed, the thing you can do is to
keep it to yourself. The best way to
recover is to take some time to explore the many treatment options - support,
lifestyle changes, building emotional skills, and professional help.
