Signs of Depression That Are Not Just Sadness
When most of us think of depression, we think of sadness.
While a sense of hopelessness and sad feeling often do come with depression, there are other symptoms that go beyond this.
Sometimes, these other symptoms are more prevalent than the sadness you might expect. When this happens, it makes depression more difficult to recognize and thus, you may not seek help as readily.
So what are some of these other common symptoms of depression?
Changes in Sleep and Eating Habits
Depression doesn't just affect us mentally. It affects us physically, too.
When depressed, you may experience changes in your sleep and eating habits. You may find yourself sleeping much less. In fact, some people develop insomnia as a result. Or you may realize you're sleeping way more than usual.
As far as eating goes, it's much the same. You might realize you're eating a lot less and you've lost weight as a result. Or perhaps you've been eating more than usual and have gained weight.
Irritability and Agitation
You may not feel sadness at the forefront of your depression. Instead, you may feel constantly agitated. You get irritable at the slightest things, from hitting every red light on the way to work or someone talking too loudly.
Since decreased dopamine tends to play a role in depression, it affects our baseline mood and turns it into a more sour one. Coupled with low serotonin, your brain is lacking in general "feel good" chemicals, leaving you in a worse mood overall.
Some of this may also stem from physical and mental feelings of fatigue. If your sleep schedule is off, you've experienced changes in your diet, etc., it can contribute to these irritated feelings.
Low Libido
Another sign of depression is a decrease in libido. As mentioned above, low levels of dopamine and serotonin contribute to the generally crummy feelings that come with depression. A lack in serotonin can also lead to a decrease in sex drive.
Perhaps you had a healthy and regular sex drive before, but now you just never seem to be in the mood. You're always tired, irritable, and just want to be left alone.
Fatigue and Aches
Another physical aspect of depression is fatigue and bodily aches. Your body may just simply feel tired all the time for no reason at all. This can also contribute to oversleeping or can even be exacerbated by a lack of sleep.
In addition to this, you may experience headaches, muscle aches, digestive disorder, and general worsened chronic pain. These physical symptoms are often persistent and just won't go away.
Apathy and a Pessimistic Outlook
Similar to irritability, you may develop a sense of apathy and/or a pessimistic outlook on life. Apathy means you start to feel less strongly about things you once enjoyed or were passionate about. You lose interest in hobbies, favorite shows, music, etc. It's just not fun anymore for some reason.
You may also develop a pessimistic outlook. Rather than seeing any positives, you start to only see the negatives about everything. This can add fuel to irritability and create a vicious cycle. When you develop this kind of outlook, it can seem as if there will never be an end and you'll be stuck in this rut forever.
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Depression is a serious and painful experience. Yes, it can come with feelings of sadness, but it can also come with trickier symptoms. If you are struggling with depression, don't hesitate to reach out to a professional for guidance. If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide, seek help immediately.
With the right support, you can safely express your feelings and start on a more hopeful and positive path. Reach out to learn more about how you can get started with depression therapy.