Are You Depressed? Really Depressed?

There are some alarming statistics that up to 25% of young people suffer from depression before the age of 24. However, it is possible that some of these cases go undetected or untreated because they are mistaken for teenage growing pains or sadness.

We, therefore, need to know what the signs of depression are so that we can detect it in ourselves and loved ones and are able to deal with it before it overwhelms us.

Do you feel depressed? Does your life feel like it has no meaning?

You are depressed when ....

1. You lose the desire to do things you used to enjoy like sports, hanging with friends or studying.

2. You lose your temper and get irritated more easily than before.

3. You feel tired and have less energy over a prolonged period of time.

4. You change your eating habits. You eat more or less than you did before depression set in.

5. You sleep a lot more or less than you did before and may even have trouble falling asleep or waking up.

6. You can’t concentrate in class or work and can’t make decisions.

7. You never feel as though anything will change for the better. You feel hopeless and helpless in changing your situation or feelings.

8. You have thoughts of harming yourself and have even tried to at one point.

9. You have developed poor or non-existent self-esteem. You feel a strong sense of self-loathing and hatred.

10. You always feel like isolating yourself from others. You go out with friends less. You leave the house less. You speak to others around you less

11. You feel as though your life has no meaning or purpose.

Do you get irritated easily? Do you isolate yourself from friends?

These symptoms of depression may also be extreme sadness. However, if they do not wear off over a period of two or more weeks, you could be facing serious depression and should seek professional help from a counsellor or therapist; never self-diagnose.

While it may be normal to feel sad or depressed due to certain circumstances in life or moods, we should seek to nip it in the bud if we notice that periods of depression are becoming longer. Otherwise we may find ourselves at the brink of doing psychological or physical harm to ourselves.

You may not notice the change in yourself, but other people might and they may try to speak to you about it. Likewise, you may notice the change in a loved one or friend and try to speak to them about it.

Always seek professional help or advice as such because there is no shame or hurt in seeking counselling. This fear of shame can only serve to add to your sense of depression and self-loathing thereby creating a vicious circle of depression and self-loathing. However, at this point we have to throw others' perceived opinion of us to the wind and do what is best for us which is do whatever it takes to get out from under the oppressive thumb of depression.