Do You Know When You Are Depressed

Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors

Strong signs of suicidality include talking about wanting to die, making plans, or attempting to take ones own life. Warning signs of suicidal intention include:

• Acquiring the means to commit suicide
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Engaging in risky or self-destructive behavior
• Extreme agitation or anxiety
• Getting one’s affairs in order
• Increased use of substances such as drugs and alcohol
• Intense changes in mood/mood swings
• Saying goodbye to friends and family as though for the last time
• Feeling trapped or hopeless in ones situation
• Talking a lot about death, dying, and violence
• Talking about suicide or wishing that one hadn’t been born
• Withdrawal from friends or family

How Can I Help A Loved One Who Is Depressed

If someone you know has depression, help them see a health care provider or mental health professional. You also can:

• Offer support, understanding, patience, and encouragement.
• Invite them out for walks, outings, and other activities.
• Help them stick to their treatment plan, such as setting reminders to take prescribed medications.
• Make sure they have transportation to therapy appointments.
• Remind them that, with time and treatment, the depression will lift.

Take comments about suicide seriously, and report them to your loved ones health care provider or therapist. If they are in immediate distress or thinking about hurting themselves, call 911 for emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Untreated Depression Is A Common Cause Of Suicide

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 45% of those who die by suicide are suffering from some sort of mental illness. This includes people with undiagnosed, untreated, or under-treated depression.

Many of the warning signs of suicide are also signs of depression. Proper depression diagnosis and treatment are extremely important for preventing suicidal thoughts, ideations, or actions.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

Don’t Miss: Depression Due To Medical Condition

Risk Factors For Depression

Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.

Several factors can play a role in depression:

• Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
• Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
• Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
• Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

What If My Symptoms Dont Improve

If youre not responding to treatment, you may live with treatment resistant depression. This is when your symptoms have not improved after at least 2 standard treatments. This can also be known as treatment-refractory depression.

There is currently no official criteria used to diagnose treatment resistant depression.

What treatment is available for treatment-resistant depression?There are treatment options for treatment resistant depression. Even if antidepressants have not worked already for you, your doctor may suggest a different antidepressant from a different class.

The new antidepressant you are offered will depend on the first antidepressant you were given.

Sometimes your doctor can prescribe a second type of medication to go with your antidepressant. This can sometimes help the antidepressant work better than it does by itself.

Where antidepressants have not worked, your doctor may suggest talking therapies, ECT or brain stimulation treatments. See the previous section for more information on these.

What is an implanted vagus nerve stimulator, and how is it used in treatment resistant depression?If you live with treatment resistant depression, and youve not responded to other treatments, you may be able ask for an implanted vagus nerve stimulator.

Please speak to your doctor if youre interested in this treatment and for more information. You may be able to get this treatment funded through an Individual Funding Request.

• NHS – Your Rights by clicking here.

Read Also: Can A Traumatic Event Cause Depression

Whats The Difference Between Sadness And Depression

Depression is about being sad, surebut its more than that. Clinical depression is a mental health condition that involves a lot of symptoms, like feeling exhausted all the time, losing interest in activities you normally enjoy, or thoughts of death and suicide. Episodes of depression last at least 2 weeks at a time. They can be triggered by a sad event, or they can seemingly come out of nowhere.

Listen To This Article

To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, .

Q: Im tired all the time and feel unproductive at work. How do I know if Im depressed or burned out?

The exhaustion, when it hits, is all-consuming. Your inbox chimes and you want to fling your phone across the room. Youre sick of your apartment you cant stand to leave your apartment. You fumble for the right word: You tell friends you are tired or fried or just done.

How do you know if this wave of weariness signals a case of burnout or full-blown depression? We asked experts for ways to tell the difference between the two, and how to alleviate the symptoms of both.

Read Also: Natural Remedies Depression And Memory Loss

Depression Doesn’t Always Have A Good Reason

Sometimes people become depressed for what seems like a “good” reasonmaybe they lost their job or a family member passed away. However, with clinical depression, there doesn’t necessarily have to be a reason for how you feel.

In fact, 16 million adults have depression without experiencing a negative event or facing some type of life change. This can lead to reduced compassion from others, simply because they don’t understand that depression can exist without a trigger or external stressor.

One explanation for this is that depression has been linked to an imbalance in the neurotransmitters that help regulate moods. The theory is that having too much or too little of these chemical messengers can cause depression.

So, the brain chemicals that are responsible for your mood may be out of balance, causing you to feel bad even when everything in your life is seemingly going well.

Forecasters Also Are Tracking 3 Other Systems Including Hurricane Fiona

A tropical depression is likely to form in the Caribbean later this week, forecasters said Tuesday, Sept. 20.

image via National Hurricane Center

The disturbance, which is in the Atlantic Ocean, has become better organized and as of Tuesday night had a 90% chance of developing into a tropical depression within five days, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center.

It will most likely be named Hermine if it strengthens into a tropical storm.

image via National Hurricane Center

Hurricane forecasters also are tracking three other systems in the Atlantic:

• Hurricane Fiona in the Bahamas
• Tropical Storm Gaston
• Disturbance off the coast of Africa

Hurricane Fiona and the two other Atlantic systems don’t pose a threat to Louisiana. It’s too early to accurately say where the Caribbean disturbance could go if it develops.

Here’s what to know about the tropics as of Tuesday afternoon from the National Hurricane Center.

Also Check: Things To Cheer Up A Depressed Person

Risk Factors That Can Make You More Vulnerable

Depression most often results from a combination of factors, rather than one single cause. For example, if you went through a divorce, were diagnosed with a serious medical condition, or lost your job, the stress could prompt you to start drinking more, which in turn could cause you to withdraw from family and friends. Those factors combined could then trigger depression.

The following are examples of risk factors that can make you more susceptible:

Loneliness and isolation. Theres a strong relationship between loneliness and depression. Not only can lack of social support heighten your risk, but having depression can cause you to withdraw from others, exacerbating feelings of isolation. Having close friends or family to talk to can help you maintain perspective on your issues and avoid having to deal with problems alone.

. While a network of strong and supportive relationships can be crucial to good mental health, troubled, unhappy, or abusive relationships can have the opposite effect and increase your risk for depression.

Recent stressful life experiences. Major life changes, such as a bereavement, divorce, unemployment, or financial problems can often bring overwhelming levels of stress and increase your risk of developing depression.

Chronic illness or pain. Unmanaged pain or being diagnosed with a serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, can trigger feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

Risk Factors For Suicide

Not all people with risk factors will be suicidal. In addition to depression or other mental illness, risk factors for suicide include:

• Current or past history of substance abuse
• Past history of suicide attempt
• Family history of suicide
• Family history of mental illness or substance abuse
• Firearms in the home
• Feelings of hopelessness

Also Check: Dna Testing For Depression And Anxiety

How To Know If Youre Depressed

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world. Over 280 million people in the world suffer from this disorder, and its likely that many others have depression but arent yet diagnosed.

Do you know how to tell if youre one of the many people who suffer from depression? Do you want to learn how to know if youre depressed?

Most people know that sadness comes along with depression. But how can you tell whether its a normal, human sadness that youre feeling, or if its a symptom of depression? What are the other common symptoms of depression to watch out for?

Seeing A Doctor About Depression

Big changes in your life, like bereavement, losing a job, or even having a baby, can cause symptoms of depression. You’re also more likely to experience depression if you have a family history of depression. However, it’s also possible to become depressed without there being an obvious reason.

You can learn more about depression causes here.

Don’t Miss: How Does Ect Work For Depression

Difficulty Getting Out Of Bed

Its normal to enjoy sleeping in or spending time in bed. However, if it has become difficult to find the motivation to get out of bed or get ready in the morning, this could be a sign of depression. Depression can make us feel fatigued and physically drained to the point where even small tasks, like getting up in the morning, can feel exhausting or difficult to do.

How To Tell If You Have Depression

Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms.

They range from lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety.

There can be physical symptoms too, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping badly, having no appetite or sex drive, and various aches and pains.

The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. At its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal, that life is no longer worth living.

Most people experience feelings of stress, anxiety or low mood during difficult times. A low mood may improve after a short period of time, rather than being a sign of depression.

Also Check: Where Do You Get Diagnosed With Depression

How Do You Know If You Have Depression: 11 Hidden Signs And How To Manage Them

A person may be depressed and purposely choose to hide it from others, or they may not realize they are depressed. It is common for people to feel sad and hopeless with depression, but there are other signs people overlook because they are not as obvious. Sometimes the appearance of such symptoms may indicate an underlying medical condition. If you think you are depressed, it is essential to pay attention to the signs and be aware of what youre experiencing. There are many resource tools, such as healthcare professionals and forms of therapy to help people manage their symptoms.

Understanding if you have depression includes assessing your daily activities and recognizing if symptoms of depression affect your ability to complete tasks and interactions with others. While an online quiz or depression test may give ideas on what to look for in depressive symptoms, it is essential to understand what to look for when assessing your situation. Mental health experts recognize the following signs as typical symptoms of hidden depression:

Lately, have you experienced difficulty completing regular tasks due to a lack of focus? A common symptom of depression is the inability to focus or concentrate. It may be challenging to stay focused on a task or lose your train of thought while having a conversation. A study suggests someone can experience a more challenging social and work life due to depression, along with concentration and memory issues.

Where Can I Find Clinical Trials For Depression

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so others may receive better help in the future.

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health and around the country conduct many studies with patients and healthy volunteers. Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more information, visit NIMH’s clinical trials information.

Don’t Miss: Does Moving Help With Depression

What If I Am Not Happy With My Treatment

If you are not happy with your treatment you can:

• talk to your doctor to see if they can suggest changes,
• get an advocate to help you speak your doctor,
• ask for a second opinion if you feel it would help,
• contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service and see whether they can help, or
• make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below.

Advocacy

An advocate is independent from the NHS. They are free to use. They can be useful if you find it difficult to get your views heard.

There are different types of advocates available. Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like. They arent available in all areas.

You can ask an advocate to help you make a complaint. Advocates that do this are called NHS complaints advocates. They are free to use and don t work for the NHS. They re available in all areas.

You can search online to search for a local advocacy service. If you cant find a service you can call our advice service 0808 801 0525 . You can email us too at . We will look for you.

Second opinion

Talk to your doctor about your treatment to see if you can resolve the problem with them first. If you dont agree with their decisions about diagnosis or treatment, you could ask for a second opinion. You are not legally entitled to a second opinion, but your doctor might agree to it if it would help with treatment options.

‘PALS’

Complaints

• Advocacy by clicking here.

Why Does Depression Happen

Many people living with depression question why they feel this way and want to know what is behind their sadness. Researchers are trying to understand why depression occurs. Various potential causes and risk factors may contribute to the onset of symptoms. As we learn more about depression, depression symptoms may occur for reasons such as:

• Stress or trauma. Life changes, unexpected loss, feeling burned out, or overwhelmed are changes that may trigger depressive episodes.
• Hormone changes or imbalance. Women may experience postpartum depression after childbirth due to body changes. Menopause and menstruation are other situations that may include hormonal imbalance.
• Family genes. A person may have depression if there is a family history or be at risk of developing it if it runs in their immediate family.
• Chemical differences. Physical or biological imbalances in the brain may increase the chances of developing depression.
• Medical conditions or illness. Certain medications, physical or mental conditions could increase depression risk.

You May Like: What Are The Most Common Causes Of Depression

How Can I Take Care Of Myself

Once you begin treatment, you should gradually start to feel better. Go easy on yourself during this time. Try to do things you used to enjoy. Even if you dont feel like doing them, they can improve your mood. Other things that may help:

• Try to get some physical activity. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost mood.
• Try to maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
• Eat regular, healthy meals.
• Do what you can as you can. Decide what must get done and what can wait.
• Try to connect with other people, and talk with people you trust about how you are feeling.
• Postpone important life decisions until you feel better.
• Avoid using alcohol, nicotine, or drugs, including medications not prescribed for you.

The Different Types Of Depression

Depression is classified in a number of ways. The types of depression that this test looks for are: major depression, bipolar disorder, cyclothymia , dysthymia , postpartum depression, and seasonal affective disorder or SAD. Each one presents different symptoms and represents a distinct diagnosis. You can learn more about each of these types of depression after you take the test and get your results. Please note that other variants of depression exist which are not tested for on this web site.

Read Also: What To Do When Depressed And Unmotivated