Sadness is an emotion that slows us down and teaches us that we made a mistake, or that something or someone hurt us. Usually, when we are sad, we are still able to get out of bed and maintain our daily routines. Depression is a deeper emotion that often feels like darkness or heaviness. We find ourselves unable to go about our daily routines because we are too tired or unmotivated. If you have been feeling depressed for more than a couple of months, help from a professional is a good idea. Here are some warning signs that you might be depressed.
1. Your sleeping habits have changed: You might find that it feels almost impossible to get out of bed. You want to sleep for days because when you are sleeping, you can't feel the pain. Or you might find that you can no longer sleep at night. You might feel tired all the time.
2. Your relationships begin to suffer: Your relationships might be suffering because you are so overwhelmed with pain that you feel like you can not deal with anyone else. You might feel agitated with others and have little empathy for what they are experiencing. You might withdraw because you do not want to burden anyone else. This is exactly the time when you should reach out to others who are caring and supportive.
3. You feel hopeless: You begin to feel like you will be suffering forever and that there is nothing you can do to alleviate the pain. You might feel like you will always fail, never reach your goals or always be stuck.
4. Your body aches for no reason: You might find that your muscles are sore and stiff, but you haven't been exercising. You might also have a change in appetite, either eating too much or too little. Your body might feel heavy. Though you feel tired and unmotivated, exercise will help you.
5. You can't focus: You might not be able to focus at work or school. You might become easily distracted or feel like you are dreaming.
6. Difficult to find joy in anything: You might not be able to enjoy things that you used to love, or have a difficult time enjoying anything.
7. Your hygiene has suffered: You feel like taking a shower, doing your hair or brushing your teeth is too much effort.
8. You think badly about yourself: You feel like you are worthless, and that there is little to nothing good about yourself. You are stuck in a negative mental loop.
Depression can be difficult to overcome on your own. It is not something to be ashamed of or hidden from others.
Dr Monica Borschel is a US-trained Clinical Psychologist Reach out to Dr Borschel: m.borschel@mindnlife.com
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