Depression Symptoms To Watch For
While severe sadness is the most well-known symptom of depression, knowing how to recognize other signs can help head off a future depressive episode.
If you’re one of the 20 million people in America with depression, you know that it’s not a condition to be taken lightly. It’s important to manage symptoms of depression with therapy and medication as prescribed by your doctor, both to feel better now and to reduce the risk of a depressive episode in the future.
One of the best ways to minimize the physical and emotional damage of an episode of depression is to recognize depression early and take action which can mean getting back on track with treatment or talking to your doctor about whether your treatment plan needs to be reviewed and revised. But not all symptoms of depression are easy to identify, and the early signs can be different for everyone. Here are some common symptoms you should look for.
Is Always Being Tired A Sign Of Depression
No Interest Or Pleasure In Activities
Some people with depression lose interest in things or activities that they used to enjoy. These can include sports, hobbies, going out with friends, music, or sexual activity. They may turn down offers to do activities or be with others, and they may not want to do things they used to like doing.
This inability to feel pleasure during previously pleasurable activities is also known as anhedonia.
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Viral Or Bacterial Infection And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, head or body aches.
Fatigue can be a symptom of infections ranging from the flu to HIV. If you have an infection, you’ll probably have other symptoms like fever, head or body aches, shortness of breath, or appetite loss.
Infections that may cause fatigue include:
Treating the infection often relieves your fatigue. But some infections, including mononucleosis and COVID-19, can lead to long-lasting tiredness.
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.
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How Are Cfs And Depression Different
CFS may have symptoms that donât happen with depression, like a frequent sore throat, weakness, and swollen or tender lymph nodes. Pain is more common with CFS than depression.
CFS symptoms like severe fatigue often start or get worse after physical activity, so it could help to cut back on exercise. Depression symptoms sometimes improve after physical activity, so more exercise might make you feel better.
People with CFS often view it as a physical illness. People with depression usually think of their illness as psychological.
I Feel Tired All The Time Is It Possible I Am Depressed
by SWadm1n | Oct 7, 2020 | Psychotherapy
Fatigue is a symptom that can be associated with many health conditions, including depression. However, the feeling of being constantly tired, even after a good nights sleep, is only a possible symptom of depression, not a clear indicator of it, therefore an accurate diagnosis can only be determined after medical testing to rule out any other underlying conditions.
According to psychotherapy Broomfield clinic practitioners, fatigue and depression often overlap, but in many cases, feeling tired all the time is not accompanied by the other symptoms of depression. These other signs of depression might include feelings of anxiety and sadness, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, lost interest in activities that were previously considered enjoyable, loss of appetite or eating too much and difficulties in making decisions and concentrating. The symptoms of fatigue, whether or not linked to depression, usually include more physical signs, such as headaches and muscle cramps, joint pain and stomach pains.
The connection between chronic fatigue and depression being so intricate, any correct diagnosis is possible only after being examined by specialized medical experts, including knowledgeable psychotherapists. If you suspect that your tiredness is caused by depression, talk to your family doctor first your doctor will be able to answer all your questions about your condition and will determine the best course of action to follow.
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Common Symptoms Of Depression
Symptoms of depression can vary. They may manifest themselves differently from person to person. However, for most people, depression symptoms affect their ability to perform daily activities, interact with others, or go to work or go to school. If you suffer from depression you may often experience several of the following:
Rheumatoid Arthritis And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, morning stiffness, joint pain, inflamed joints
Rheumatoid arthritis , a type of inflammatory arthritis, is another cause of excessive fatigue. Because joint damage can result in disability, early and aggressive treatment is the best approach for rheumatoid arthritis.
Medications that may be used early in mild RA include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Other drugs used in more serious forms of RA include the anti-cytokine therapies , as well as shots and other forms of treatment.
Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and Sjogren’s disease, may also cause fatigue.
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What Causes ‘your’ Fatigue
Many physical and mental illnesses, as well as lifestyle factors, can cause your fatigue, and that can make it hard to diagnose. In some cases, it might be something simple and easy to fix, like havingcaffeine at bedtime. But other causes, like heart disease or COPD, are serious, and you may need to start long-term treatment right away.
Your doctor can help you sift through your health issues, as well as diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits, in order to zero in on the cause and help you on the road to recovery.
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How To Tell If You Are Depressed Or Just Tired
With both depression and fatigue, symptoms include low energy, low motivation, and anhedonia, or a loss of interest in pleasurable activities, Dimitriu says.
One distinguishing factor can be the desire to engage in activities people who have fatigue wish to do things, but lack energy, whereas people with depression have lower interest in activities, he says.
“Another important consideration is the duration of the low mood and if it improves with sleep,” Dimitriu says. A single good night’s sleep can improve a tired person’s mood, he notes.
But depression-related fatigue permeates every facet of a person’s life, says Ricke. The effect is felt:
- Physically: Everyday tasks eating, showering, getting dressed, and so on may become difficult. “The body can feel heavy, slow, and stiff due to depression,” Ricke says.
- Cognitively: Due to depression, you may experience “difficulty sustaining focus, concentrating, and processing information,” Ricke says. Of course, lack of sleep can have a similar cognitive impact, making it challenging to concentrate.
- Emotionally: Here is where the effects may be most profound. “Fatigue makes it more difficult to weed through the already confusing thoughts and feelings that are part of depression,” Ricke says. Forming emotional connections with friends, family, and the people around you may be more challenging when you’re fatigued, she says. And that, in turn, “can perpetuate feelings of aloneness and hopelessness,” Ricke says.
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Its Harder To Exercise When Youre Depressed
Exercise is a great source of energy, but feelings of depression might make it harder for you to want to work out on a regular basis. Depression can cause you to experience a lack of motivation in many aspects of life, and this can channel into a lack of desire to exercise.
But dont think that this lack of exercise is because of laziness. This couldnt be further from the truth!
Summoning the motivation to exercise is already hard enough. But feelings like reduced self-esteem and pessimism are specific depressive attitudes that research suggests may be interfering with your exercise.
Its completely understandable that you might not be working out as much as you used to or would like to. Recognizing that these thought patterns are a result of depression means youre better equipped to deal with the challenge of motivating yourself to exercise.
Tips For Sleeping Better
Sleep problems can increase the risk of initially developing depression, and persistent sleep issues can also increase the risk of relapse in people who have successfully been treated for depression. As a result, taking some of the following steps can both help you sleep better, boost your mood, and help decrease some of the problematic symptoms of depression.
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Quiz: Do You Know These Mental Health Facts
There are lots of impressive facts on mental health you can find online. For example:
- 1 out of every 5 young people suffers from some form of diagnosable mental illness
- suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages 1524, and the second leading cause of death in college students ages 2024.
- the rate of mental health disorders doubles for those who have been to war or lived through some sort of a serious trauma
- members of the LGBTQ community are twice as likely as straight individuals to have a mental health condition
- globally, mental disorders account for 1 in 6 years lived with disability
- people with severe mental disorders die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population
- 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
But there are also mental health facts and mental health statistics that you might not be aware of. Try our quiz and see how much you know about mental health.
What Causes Depression
While researchers dont know the exact cause of depression, there are a number of factors that can increase the risk of developing this condition. These include having a personal or family history of depression, experiencing major stressors or traumas, taking certain medications, and having specific illnesses.
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Low On Energy It May Not Be Depression
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Depression is a common cause of fatigue, so you might be wondering whether your fatigue is a result of depression. But just because you’re tired all the time doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re depressed.
The fact is there are many underlying conditions that could be responsible for feeling tired all the time. From mood disorders to issues affecting your physical health like chronic fatigue syndrome, the following psychiatric and medical conditions are some of the most common ailments associated with fatigue.
But first, it’s important to note that many of these conditions share symptoms similar to depression, so we’ll start there. By understanding the distinctions between depression and other factors that cause fatigue, you can seek out the right treatment and start to feel like your energetic self again.
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Diagnosing Depression And Fatigue
To make a depression diagnosis, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and give you a questionnaire that assesses depression. They may use other methods, such as blood tests or X-rays, to make sure another disorder isnt causing your symptoms.
Before diagnosing you with chronic fatigue syndrome, your doctor will run several tests to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These may include restless leg syndrome, diabetes, or depression.
Where To Get Help
- Wilson J, Morgan S, Magin P, et al. 2014, Fatigue a rational approach to investigation, Australian Family Physician, vol. 43, no. 7, pp. 457-461, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. More information here.
- Fatigue, 2013, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine. More information here.
- Fatigue, Mayo Clinic, USA. More information here.
- Fatigue in the workplace, WorkSafe Victoria. More information here.
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What Causes Depression Fatigue
Depression impacts the neurotransmitters in your brain that are associated with alertness. So, scientifically speaking, depression psychologically affects your energy levels, leading to fatigue.
There is a bidirectional relationship between depression and fatigue. In other words, if you suffer from depression, youre very likely to suffer from fatigue. And when youre tired and exhausted all the time, it can make you feel depressed.
Its a difficult cycle to break.
But there are some causes of depression fatigue you can try to address on your own. Or, even better, you can work on them together with the help of a qualified mental health professional.
Food Allergies Food Intolerance And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, sleepiness, continued exhaustion
Although food is supposed to give you energy, medical research suggests that hidden food intolerances — or allergies — can do the opposite. In fact, fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance or food allergy. Celiac disease, which happens when you canââ¬â¢t digest gluten, may also cause fatigue.
Ask your doctor about the elimination diet. This is a diet in which you cut out certain foods linked to a variety of symptoms, including sleepiness within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them, for a certain period of time to see if that makes a difference. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test — or invest in a home test such as ALCAT — which may help you identify the offending foods.
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Try Eating A Few More Nutritious Foods
Depression disrupts eating habits, which in turn can cause feelings of fatigue. Like implementing better sleeping habits, developing a more nutrient-rich diet can improve fatigue and exhaustion.
Some foods might help with depression, and a balanced diet helps to boost energy. This typically includes a range of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats, with an emphasis on veggies, whole grains, and healthy oils.
Aside from just the types of food you should aim to eat, it also might be better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day. More frequent eating, as opposed to a food overload in a few sittings, may result in more sustained fuel for your body.
Diagnosing And Treating Depression
There’s no physical test for depression.
If you experience depression symptoms most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks, you should visit your GP. This is especially important if:
- you have symptoms of depression that aren’t getting any better
- you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- your work, relationships with friends and family, or interests are affected by your mood
It can be hard for people with depression to imagine that anything can help them but the sooner you seek help, the sooner the symptoms start to get better.
Your GP may examine you and perform blood or urine tests to make sure there isn’t another condition causing your depression symptoms, like an underactive thyroid.
When you see your GP, they’ll try to find out if you have depression by asking you questions. These are likely to be about your health, how you’re feeling, and how that is affecting you mentally and physically.
Telling your doctor your symptoms and the affect they are having on you will help your GP to tell if you have depression, and how severe the condition is. It’s important to be as open as possible.
Your conversation with your GP will be confidential. This rule can only be broken if your GP thinks there is a significant risk of harm to you or others, and that telling a family member or carer would make that risk lower.
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