This might sound a little harsh or rushed but if you sense that you might be depressed, you probably are. With most illnesses come signs and symptoms that we are soberly aware of. Every layman will at some point diagnose themselves with something they would ordinarily pay heavily for tests. That is not to say conclusively that you are depressed – if you are asking the question.
Essentially, depressed people will feel a certain way and likely continue in that pattern for a while. Therapists help along the way, and it is usually best to seek help immediately when one feels down. There are ways to self-diagnose and know if indeed there could be an issue.
Genetics, background, and Circumstances
Depression can be a result of any of the three mentioned situations. These problems need to be filtered to know exactly what is causing the problem, and if indeed there is one. Therapists will undoubtedly diagnose the correct causes, but you can check for yourself too.
Couples tend to bear the brunt quite a lot too. You might be dating a little woman or in love with a tall, dark, and handsome man yet there is sadness in the air. Following approaches to find out if indeed there could be a problem and the solutions therein.
1. Signs and Symptoms
Before rushing to a psychologist, review the following. These are experiences you might be having that could point toward signs of depression.
- If you have negative thoughts or perceptions about life in general, you might be depressed. This is not conclusive but being pessimistic all the time, every time for long periods is not good.
- Feeling disillusioned is a sign one is hopeless and perhaps feels helpless too. It happens to the best of us and could stem from family or even financial issues.
- When people feel useless and fall into bouts of self-pity these are surefire signs something is wrong. Most people suffering from these spells had problems with alcoholism and perhaps drug abuse too.
- Other lows include having sleepless nights for weeks on end and suffering from insomnia with no sign of it stopping. Most people with sleepless nights have too much riding on their minds. Again, it could be bouts of guilt, perhaps loss of financial prowess, or a family member leaving.
- Loss of appetite and decrease in weight might be a sign that something is wrong. This particular symptom could be linked to many other disorders so tread carefully while self–diagnosing.
- Reckless endangerment is a surefire sign something is wrong. If one is not suffering from anger management or some other psychotic disorder, one should not be endangering anyone. This is a problem that needs to be resolved ASAP.
As mentioned earlier these are not conclusive signs that you are depressed. However, if you happen to be experiencing at least half of the mentioned symptoms, consult a physician. Below are a few ways to alleviate the problem as a couple, or individual.
- If one party finds it hard to consult a therapist, some would do it virtually. Although it still requires a video call hence knowing each other’s faces, you don’t show up at the office. Nobody will see the patient enter the building, not even nosy neighbors.
- Participate in new hobbies, or take up sports you loved in school. Bringing back such cool memories could trigger the right feelings.
Bottom Line
There are numerous ways to fix depression issues and even more ways to avoid them. If you notice the above symptoms early enough you might never need any consultation. Just spend more time with loved ones and the universe will answer.