Depression is not only a word but the reality of many people. And given the current economic recession in Nigeria, many people are ending up depressed and hopeless by the day.
Apparently, depression is more than just that. In fact, it is a complex condition, which stems out from a traumatic event, long-term stress or even unhealthy relationship.
But there’s a lot more to being depressed that most people know. While the lack of interest for the things one used to love and the overall feeling of hopelessness and hopelessness are clear signs of depression, there are more subtle signs of this health condition that many people do not know about.
When you have a cold or malaria, the symptoms are obvious: Coughing, sneezing, congestion, loss of appetite, banging headaches and general body pains. Symptoms of depression, on the other hand, aren’t as clear-cut as romantic-comedies and made-for-TV movies make them out to be.
Intense sadness and hopelessness is only part of the equation—not only can depressive symptoms range from mild to severe, they can also disguise themselves as everyday habits and emotions you wouldn’t necessarily equate with being depressed.
Below are 10 sneaky signs of depression you shouldn’t ignore:
1. Lack of energy or fatigue
If you experience fatigue with low mood and decreased interest or motivation, then that can be problematic too. Usually, this lethal combination is your body’s way of saying that you are depressed but you just don’t know it.
2. Keeping yourself super busy
We are all busy, but someone with depression might use being permanently busy as a way to steer clear of their feelings. Keeping busy might be a way for them to ignore or avoid the painful issues that may be contributing to or triggering their depression.
3. You feel nothing
Depression might not translate into extreme sadness, but you are in a place where you are not sad, not exactly happy either. In fact, you don’t feel much of anything.
4. You toss and turn repeatedly
Persistent sleep disturbances can also be a sign of depression. Some people might oversleep and find it increasingly difficult to get up in the morning, while others might struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep.
5. You have pains everywhere
Depression can trigger painful symptoms like headaches, whole-body aches, and fatigue. The pain may make the depression worse, which may then heighten the pain even more, creating a vicious cycle where one constantly feeds into the other.
6. Social withdrawal
If you find yourself constantly saying no to your friends you haven’t seen in years and prefer to be alone, well, this could mean you are going through a phase called depression.
According to experts, social withdrawal is one of the most important symptoms that tell a person is depressed. When you feel depressed, you tend to withdraw and shy away from social interactions and normal activities you usually do. Isolation breeds depression and sadly, depression leads to deeper isolation.
7. You struggle to make decisions
Physiologically, the part of the brain that affects motivation and decision-making is shown to have gray matter loss in those with depression. Believe it or not, even simple tasks such as paying the bills, fixing your room, making your food or even taking a shower may seem like a burden to you.
8. Your appetite is unstable
Any change in your eating habits could be a precursor of depression. Some people don’t want to eat when they are depressed; others might try to soothe the emotional pain of depression by reaching for comfort foods.
9. Small thing sets you off
Since depression is so closely attributed to sadness, irritability is a common sign that most people overlook. If you find yourself getting agitated about things you would normally shrug off, this might be a red flag that you are depressed.
10.You burst into tears without cause
You might find that you sob over the tiniest things. Small issues can feel enormous when you are depressed. Rather than handle these things as you otherwise would, you may cry more easily and have trouble controlling your feelings.
Is it depression or not?
If one or more signs mentioned here are intense and are affecting your career or relationship, you should meet a mental health professional immediately.
