Five Signs Of Depression To Look Out For

Depression is a silent killer. It affects more people than you might realize within your close network of friends and family. Unfortunately, not enough people often get help for depression until it’s too late.

Sometimes, you can’t prevent the inevitable from happening, even if you’re aware of the depression. However, being aware of depression is something that can certainly be helpful when it comes to helping others or yourself.

Here are five signs of depression to look out for when it comes to spotting the signs before it gets out of hand.

1. Not being able to shift out of the sad or empty mood

One of the main signs when it comes to depression is the inability to shift out of the sad or empty mood you or a loved one might be feeling. It’s something that can end up lasting for days, weeks, and sometimes even months at a time.

For others, it might feel like a constant, never-ending pit of sadness or emptiness being felt. That type of mood is often difficult to hide all the time, although many do try to suppress it as much as they possibly can instead of letting it rise to the surface.

If you’re able to, try to pay attention to those subtle mood shifts that might be just the tip of the surface of how the person or how you may really be feeling deep down.

2. Feeling hopeless

Another feeling that comes with depression is that feeling of hopelessness. Whether it be a hopelessness about life in general or a specific situation or event that’s ongoing in the person’s life.

For example, the death of someone you know can make you feel pretty hopeless and it’s something to be mindful of when it comes to loved ones who lose people precious to them.

If you’re feeling hopeless when it comes to your mental health and state of mind in general, then it’s worth seeking help.

3. Irritable at most things

Irritable emotions are often felt when something or someone has caused you to feel that way.

There are many things that can make a person feel irritable. Whether that’s a bad day at work or frustration over something not going quite according to plan.

However, depression can make you feel irritable regardless of how your day is going - good or bad!

4. Feelings of guilt

A guilty feeling or feelings of guilt when typically they shouldn’t really be felt, can often be an indicator of depression. In the treatment for depression, it’s important to be able to decipher what feelings are being felt and how that might be impacted by the medical health illness that is depression.

5. Decreased energy or fatigue

Finally, if you’re feeling a decreased level of energy or fatigue, regardless of how much sleep you’re getting, chances are you might be dealing with depression. Of course, there might be other medical causes for this dip in energy but coupled with the other signs could indicate otherwise.

Depression is something that many people battle, which is why it’s important to get help as soon as you realize you might be dealing with something like this.