Just about everybody feels down in the dumps now and then -- it's just a part of life. However, when your dumps extend for days or even weeks, it is time to think about the possibility that you might be depressed. Check out this article for some of the most common signs and symptoms of this condition.
If you find yourself just crying for no discernible reason, depression is a likely culprit. Because it is so deeply seated within the mind and body, depression can get you down for reasons that you can't even suspect. Counseling and therapy can help you discover the reason behind your tears. However, until you understand why you are reacting this way, your life will continue to be this uncomfortable. If this is a symptom that is bothering you, seek professional help sooner than later, so that you can take hold of the problem.
Not everyone who is depressed sits and bawls about it. In many cases, the depression is simply a gray cloud that comes to rest over you and never wants to leave. You're not frantically sad, and you're not having fits. However, you just never feel happy, and the interests you used to enjoy no longer have any sort of pull on you. You are caught in the quicksand of depression, and the longer you stay in it, the more difficult it can be to get out. Start to find ways out of that malaise sooner than later.
Frequently, people who enter depression drop out of the activities that they used to enjoy. If you have stopped going to your running group, your Bible study, or other regular activities, and you just don't have any interest in taking part in those activities anymore, then it is time to get back into the game. The time you spend staring at the wall, or the television, is time ticking out of your life. Get back into those activities; the relationships that you rebuild will help you escape the doldrums of depression more easily.
Appetite change, particularly as an adult, is often a sign of a major problem, whether it is an increase or a decrease. If it increases, you may be stress eating -- taking in food to combat stress rather than actual hunger. If it decreases, you are losing interest in maintaining yourself. Both of these are warning signs, so if you find your appetite spiking in one direction or another, depression may be the culprit. Talk to your doctor to see if there are no other health-related causes for that appetite change.
Many different factors can cause a lack of overall energy. You might not be eating right; you might be worried about something in your life, and you might not be sleeping well. These can also be signs of depression, though.
It doesn't matter whether you have it for a month or for a year; depression is debilitating and can strike anyone. Look at these warning signs so that you can start getting healthy again.