Depression is an all-too-common mental health issue today and is much more than an overwhelming sense of sadness. It can affect how someone thinks, behaves, and interacts with others at home, work, school, or the community.
How To Identify Signs of Depression?
While symptoms can vary for each person, there are five signs to help you identify if someone you know is suffering from depression. Axiom Medical’s Senior Vice President, Dr. Les Kertay, shares his views on how to identify signs of depression. Click below to watch the video.
5 Depression Symptoms to Watch For
1. Anxiety
Anxiety is often a part of depression, and symptoms may include:
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Feeling tense
- Twitching or trembling muscles
- Feelings of dread or panic
- Sweating
- Rapid breath
- Difficulty thinking clearly
2. Increasing Fatigue and Sleep Issues
Depression can lead to an increasing lack of energy and overwhelming fatigue. This fatigue is one of the more debilitating early signs of depression and can cause excessive sleeping. However, insomnia is also tied to depression, so either of these sleep issues is a tell-tale sign.
3. Loss Of Interest
Depression can drain the enjoyment or pleasure out of things that someone once loved. These activities fall by the wayside due to a withdrawal or loss of interest and may include hobbies, get-togethers, or sports. Even simple, routine things, such as making coffee, become difficult.
4. Uncontrollable Emotions
For those experiencing depression, emotions can be unpredictable. One minute, someone is verbally angry, and then, suddenly, they switch to extreme sadness. This change in feelings happens without external stimuli to provoke it.
5. Changes in Appetite and Weight Gain or Loss
With depression, changes in appetite often occur, and the sufferer either gains or loses weight. To tell if these behaviors and actions are due to depression, determine if the dietary changes are intentional. If not, depression is the most likely culprit.
Depression Diagnosis
For a doctor to effectively diagnose depression, specific symptoms, such as the five listed above, must be present. To find out for sure, doctors will ask a series of questions to screen for and diagnose depression.
When Should You Seek Help?
If you or someone else has suffered from the symptoms listed above almost daily for over two weeks, it’s time to seek help,
Also, if such symptoms interfere with relationships, work, or social life, seeking help can keep things from worsening. Any dark moods or suicidal thoughts should also prompt you to seek help immediately.
With a career focused on digital marketing, Chitra is a specialized SEO-Content marketer. After moving from biotechnology to business operations and marketing, Chitra started her digital marketing career as a freelance content developer and technical writer. With Axiom, as a content marketing & SEO specialist, she is passionate about creating informative marketing copies for optimum search engine performance.
Find out more about our Tempo Live Behavioral Health and Injury Case Management services.