Warning Signs of Depression
Warning Signs of Depression can be neglected at the beginning. But this is not the right thing to do. The disorder is a serious medical condition which can cause physical and mental deterioration in the depressed individual. If left untreated or mistreated, the illness can lead to more severe complications such as suicide.
Clinical depression is due to abnormal interactions between certain chemicals in the body and the brain. Many factors can lead to this abnormality: unhealthy lifestyle and/or diet, problems in relationships, family conflicts, troubles at workplace, financial issue, and others. However, feeling depressed is not bad in all cases; about 10% of people suffer from depressive disorder at least once in their lifetime. Among them, very few people seek medical treatment either due to negligence or ignorance; they ignore the warning signs of depression. Here are some of the most common depression signs:
No or Lack of Interest in Daily Activities – one of the most early warning signs of depression is the loss of interest in normal things of life that the person used to enjoy: going out, hobby, social activities, meeting friends, have sex, and others. Normally, the patient would have a feeling that incites him to withdraw from active participation of social interactions. What makes the situation more complicated is the fact the depressed person refuses to admit these characteristics as symptoms of a depressive disorder, and seek help. In fact, at this early stage, social interactions only can help stop the symptoms without taking any medications. The reason is because with the increase in social interactions, the brain releases certain chemicals which help in stabilization of the moods, regain the sense of happiness.
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Sleep Disorders – if you are struggling with depression, you have a high chance to experience excessive sleep (hypersomnia) or difficulty to fall asleep (insomnia). But the most common is insomnia. In fact, some depressed individuals can spend an entire without sleeping. As a result, they feel sleepy and fatigued all through the day which in turn increases irritability or other behavioral disorders. Other sleep disorders include frequent waking up from sleep during the night or getting up too early in the morning. These can aggravate the depression symptoms as the brain fails to renew the supply of these essential chemicals which are required for its normal functioning.
Prolonged Sadness – depressed people find it difficult to get rid of their sadness. Instead, they tend to cry for no real reason, adopt a reckless behavior, and have a feeling of guilt and self-loathing. During these depressive episodes, most of them experience low self-esteem associated with a feeling of despair. This disorder is said to be the manifestation of passive aggression or obsession over failures. When family or friends try to comfort them, they can become angry and agitated; they just want to be alone, which is, nevertheless, not good for them. Depression signs and symptoms can also lead to restlessness in some individuals.
Change in Appetite – Depression often causes change in the eating habits. Some depressed people can barely eat to survive while others often indulge in overeating. This will eventually lead to excessive weight loss or weight gain. Depressed individuals can also adopt unhealthy diet by eating unhealthy snacks and junk foods instead of healthy foods which are crucial to help their body get rid of the depression symptoms. Healthy nutrition is very important to maintain both physical as well as mental well-being. Instead, they would adopt unhealthy eating habits which aggravate the severity of depression symptoms (see severe depression symptoms).
Physical Ailments – certain medical conditions can be resulted from depression the fact that the disease affects not only mental health but as well as physical health. Frequent occurrence of headaches, stomach aches, digestive problems, and muscle pain are some common symptoms associated with depression. This occurs because when human mind is in a depressed state, some irregularity occurs in the process of releasing chemicals from the brain. As a result of this imbalance, a depressed person can experience various types of pain which will automatically be gone once the depression is effectively treated. Improvement can be seen in the health of the patient just days after the treatment for depression has been started.
Suicidal Thoughts – This is the most life-threatening of severe depression symptoms; it should be taken seriously to avoid fetal consequence. From the very first moment a depressed person starts feeling hopeless, thinking of killing or harming himself he is in danger. The suicidal thoughts do not mean the patient wants to actually die but he desperately wants to get rid of the pain. If you know anyone who has a tendency to harm himself, you should extend your helping hand towards that person and assist him before it is too late. If necessary, pressure him to seek professional help without any delay. Counseling can be the best therapeutic approach for this condition.
Indentifying warning signs of depression is just an indication to take action. To effectively get rid of depression, it is very important to know the problem leading to it which can be: the death of a loved one, relationship breakup, loss of job, health issue or bad diagnosis (cancer for instance), a traumatic event, and certain medical drugs. It is also important to have a balanced diet and regular restful sleep before considering taking antidepressants. Along with a healthy lifestyle, certain food supplements, such as omega 3 and cannabis oil (if it is already legal in your state), can completely eliminate the depression signs and symptoms with no need for medical intervention.
