There are some early signs of depression we all should have in mind.
Depression is easy to recognize, right? Wrong. Despite your past experiences with depression or what you’ve read, it’s not always easy to spot those who suffer from this illness. In fact, the early signs of depression are surprising.
The first thing you need to understand is that depression is not sadness. It’s something much different than just being blue. I guess this seems like I’m complicating a simple matter, but I’m not. Seeing sadness and depression as the same thing is dangerous, a misconception that can worsen the illness.
Sadness, for the most part, is normal, stemming from some event that caused a sudden change in mood. Depression, on the other hand, has no definite point of origin or reason. When the two are seen as the same, this can cause depression to go unnoticed for a long time, especially in adults who experience stressful situations on a regular basis. To some, sadness is just a routine feeling, and they assume depression is normal. This is far from normal.
The Early Signs of Depression
At the onset of depression, signs and symptoms are often unrecognized as serious. People are also unique and these signs may vary from persons to person. Basically, there are a few early signs of depression you can use to gauge whether your loved one is suffering from this mental illness or is just under the weather. This is what early depression looks like:
1. Chronic fatigue
Being tired all the time could mean you work too hard, or coming down with a cold. It can also mean you are entering the beginning stages of depression. When depression starts, you will want to sleep off and on during the day. This will increase in frequency as the illness proceeds.
2. Too much/not enough
Moderation tends to disappear as depression looms. You may find yourself eating too much or sleeping too much for no apparent reason. On the flip side, you could start to suffer from insomnia and loss of appetite. Since we are all different, these things can work either way or vary.
3. Loss of focus
During the beginning of depression, you will start to lose focus. Work will become twice as hard to complete, and you will find it hard to pay attention to conversations. Hopefully, family members will notice this straight away and formulate a plan to help before the illness gets worse. Of course, losing focus happens to us all, but if it’s often, it could mean depression is on the way.
4. Loss of interest
When depression is about to strike, you will lose interest in activities you normally love. It’s because depression changes the way we think and things that once made us happy seem dull. Sometimes, they seem too hard to accomplish. It’s strange how depression operates.
5. Anxiety
One of the most surprising early symptoms of depression is anxiety. Believe it or not, irritability and anxiousness are common when depression is about to strike. You may feel like nothing is going right and everyone is your enemy, this is, of course, an illusion created by the mental illness.
6. Thoughts of suicide
This is no surprising symptom. In fact, when you suspect a loved one is thinking suicidal thoughts, you know depression is already present. This is real and should be taken seriously at all times, no matter what.
It’s important to pay attention to any of these warning early signs of depression. In addition to these symptoms, the following conditions can also accompany depression:
- Cancer
- Stress
- Loneliness
- Parkinson’s
- Diabetes
- Prescription Drug interactions
Now that you know how to spot the onset of depression, you will need to know what to do in these situations. There are many ways to seek help for you or your loved one, including talking with your doctor or family members. It’s never okay to try and hide how you really feel.
IF you think you recognize depression, think again. Stay informed and educated to stay ahead of the problem. With the right help and support, you can win the battle against depression and help others find the way out of darkness as well.
Remember, depression is more than just sadness. Let’s keep fighting this monster!
It’s nice that you mentioned how chronic fatigue could mean you are entering the early stages of depression. I was talking with my coworker last night and it seems he is struggling with some symptoms of depression.