Signs of Depression
Depression is something that should be taken serious. If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms, you may want to talk to a counselor or doctor about the possibility that they stem from depression.
1. Irritability
Sometimes, depression looks more like anger than sadness. If you find yourself snappy, cranky, or quick to lash out at others for no apparent reason, this could actually be because you’re depressed, Murphy says.
2. Changes in your sleep patterns
You may think of a depressed person as wanting to sleep all day, and that is one possible manifestation. But another is insomnia or sleep that doesn’t leave you feeling refreshed.
3. Changes in eating habits
Depression can work both ways in terms of your diet as well. Depressed individuals might experience a loss of appetite that leads to weight loss or an urge to eat more for emotional reasons, which could lead to weight gain.
4. Trouble concentrating
Symptoms that you might think include making careless mistakes and forgetting obvious information, might stem from depression instead. Having trouble making very basic decisions, like what size coffee to order at Starbucks, could be another sign.
5. Unexplained pain
Sometimes, patients will go to the doctor with aches and pains that can’t be explained for physical reasons, and the real culprit turns out to be depression. This may feel like a general achiness throughout the body, while other times, it shows up as back pains or headaches. Either way, physical symptoms should be ruled out before mental health issues are blamed.