7 Signs You’re Becoming Depressed

This article is for informative purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please reach out to a qualified mental health professional if you are struggling.

Life has its ups and downs – which is to be expected – but sometimes these down moments can escalate to something more serious. Mental health is complicated and many factors in your life can contribute to you developing a condition. Depression is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder and its onset can come on rather unexpectedly and quietly. To better understand the signs that things are getting hard, in this article, we will be looking at 7 signs you are becoming depressed. We urge you to follow up with a professional if you find yourself relating to signs.

1. You Lose Interest In Activities You Once Enjoyed

One of the biggest signs of depression is a lack of interest in activities. Have you noticed in yourself that it’s harder to do the things you once loved? Even if you have the time to partake in your favorite hobbies, are you just unable to pick them up again? Having depression makes it hard for you to get enjoyment out of anything. Even things that once were fun, now feel like a chore to get done. With depression, it’s easy for hobbies and social life to go out the window (Smith 2021). 

2. You Feel Hopeless and Bleak

Are you finding it harder to see the point in anything? Does life seem to feel like everything is heading downhill? Depression can make it difficult to see the brighter side of things, making everything dismal and dark (Healthline 2019). You may also find that you always feel down on yourself. Perhaps you feel guilty over your past or over other things that you cannot change. Depression can bring these negative feelings to the surface to the point that it interferes with you living a normal life.

3. You’re More Tired and Your Sleep Schedule Changes

Are you finding it increasingly more difficult to get out of bed in the morning? Throughout the day, are you more slow-moving and lethargic than you used to be? Depression can make you exhausted, because it is exhausting. Feeling down all the time and having to fight with your thoughts constantly can make it hard to operate at the same pace you always worked at (Smith 2021). You may find yourself struggling to sleep at night, or on the contrary, sleeping in way later than what you hoped. Having to deal with negative thoughts plus a less than desirable sleep schedule can quickly zap your energy away, even if you are oversleeping.

4. You Find It Harder to Focus and Get Things Done

When dealing with depression, you may find it harder to concentrate on your task at hand. It may become near impossible to maintain your hygiene (Rethink Mental Illness 2021). You may also find it extremely difficult to focus on work or school and put things off. Additionally you may find that your memory has gone out the window and that you become more forgetful (Smith 2021). When things start to get hard, you may find that it is impossible to focus on anything else. 

5. You’re In Pain, Physically

While depression is typically thought only as a psychological problem, it can also manifest itself physically as well. Are you finding that you have unexplained aches and pains on top of your psychological symptoms? Depression can cause all sorts of muscular pain, headaches, and  stomach problems that seem to come out of nowhere (Bruce 2008). It is important to know however, that you should make a note of these things to your doctor alongside your mental health in order to rule out other possibilities. 

6. People are on Your Nerves, All the Time

Are you finding yourself close to your breaking point with just about everyone? Things that would normally slightly annoy you are now unbearable to deal with? Depression can wear your patience thin and cause your emotions to go wild. You may find yourself shutting people out more and doing as much as possible to get away from others (Smith 2021). This can put a strain on relationships and isolate you more from the outside world. 

7. Emotions are Hard to Control

With depression, it can be easy to spiral down into a dark place. You may find your emotions get the better of you, whether it’s having an angry outburst or becoming tearful at a slight inconvenience. Your moods can be all over the place sometimes making it hard to function (Smith 2021). It is possible to turn to self-harm or other self-destructive behaviors like risk taking and drug/alcohol use in these times which further escalate your problems.

While life has its ups and downs, it’s important to recognize when these down moments become a bigger problem. It is especially important to recognize these feelings and seek help if they are interfering with you living a normal life or causing you to think about death. There are many treatment options available for depression and it often takes getting in contact with the right mental health professional to improve your quality of living. Let us know what you learned in this article down below! Take care.

References:

  • Bruce, D. F., PhD. (2008, June 10). Symptoms of Depression. WebMD. www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression
  • Rethink Mental Illness. (2021). What are the signs and symptoms of depression. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Depression? www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/about-mental-illness/learn-more-about-conditions/depression/
  • Smith, M. (2021, October 13). Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs. HelpGuide.Org. www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-symptoms-and-warning-signs.htm
  • the Healthline Editorial Team. (2019, March 22). Signs of Depression. Healthline. www.healthline.com/health/depression/recognizing-symptoms#emotions

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