Don’t Suffer In Silence
Get support, whether from family, friends, your academic advisor, campus counseling center, or a trusted online community. A heart-to-heart talk with someone you trust can help you get rid of toxic feelings and may even give you a fresh perspective.
If these steps don’t bring relief, or if you are still unable to cope and feel as if the stress is affecting how you function every day, it could be something more acute and chronic–like depression. Don’t let it go unchecked!
Overeating Or Loss Of Appetite
Depression can often cause a lack of interest in food and weight loss. In other people, depression leads to overeating and weight gain. This is because a person may feel so frustrated or miserable that they turn to food as a means to escape their problems. However, overeating can lead to weight gain and cause you to exhibit low levels of energy. Not enough food can also cause you to also have low energy levels and feel weak.
Difficulty Performing Daily Activities
When depressed several people said they did not take care of themselves for example, they could not attend to their hygiene or participate in regular life activities like school or work. Crystal said she needed someone to help me get into the shower, like the basic things and that she cant really eat on my own. Ben similarly said, I was at the point where I wasnt taking showers And that time I was a lot skinnier than I am now, just not really looking too good.
Jason said his depression makes it hard to exercise. He would rather just stay in my room and do nothing. Just lie in bed all day feeling down and I have a lot of bad thoughts I didnt feel like I had the energy or. the capacity orthe will power to go exercise.
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Take Care Of Your Body
A healthy body can help you manage stress. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep, eat healthy food, stay hydrated and exercise regularly. Go easy on the caffeine. Shorting yourself on sleep, and especially pulling an all-nighter, robs you of energy and your ability to concentrate. A healthy diet improves your ability to learn. Don’t skip breakfast.
The Risk Of Isolation
It can sometimes be hard to explain your thoughts and feelings to others. You might find it difficult to talk about your depression and instead you might cut yourself off from other people. The more overwhelming your symptoms, the more isolated and lonely you might become.
Without treatment and support, depression can have an impact on your relationships, work, finances and overall health, so it’s important to get help as early as possible. See our pages on treatment and support for more information.
“It feels like I’m stuck under a huge grey-black cloud. It’s dark and isolating, smothering me at every opportunity.”
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Lack Of Energy Or Fatigue
Lack of energy was a common symptom people experienced with their depression. Some described this feeling as not wanting to get out of bed. As Joey put it, youre just like tired but for no reason. Violet said, I have no energy. I just want to curl up in a ball, I dont really want to think about anything, I dont want to do anything.
Well and like a wave situation I would be, I would be alright for maybe two or three weeks then something would happen and I would just sort of crash back down and it was, it was unpleasant, as unpleasant as it was when it was constant. And when its constant its sort of, youre always, I, the, its not even the loneliness, the feeling of being weighed down that doesnt go away. Its constant from the moment you go to sleep and from the moment you wake to when you go to sleep and its, it I dont know. I liked to sleep a lot when I was at its worst because I couldnt feel anything so it, I guess, it was that feeling of loneliness and feeling empty and gray and just I couldnt look forward to anything. Its just this constant sort of flat line state where youre just and you just youre just trying to go through the motions but its hard. It takes a lot of energy, like in, you get tired really easily, you just want to be home away from people, it, everything outside of that was just too much.
If Youre Experiencing Symptoms
- Recognize if youre starting to slip. If you are struggling with new or worsening symptoms, dont hesitate to seek help. If you already have a therapist, reach out to them right away. If you do not have one, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP for a free, confidential referral for treatment. If youre considering harming yourself, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 .
- Ignore incorrect attitudes. The old idea of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is not only outdated, but also not based in science. If you feel depressed, there is no cause for guilt, says Dr. Solomon.
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Crying Spells With Anxiety And Stress
Stress is a normal reaction to some of lifes everyday events. Stress makes your body and mind alert to whats going on. However, constant stress can be the sign of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can prevent you from doing the things you want to do and living life as you desire.
A 2016 study looked at crying tendencies in adults and how it related to their sense of attachment, safety, and connection to others. People with anxiety were more likely to say that crying feels helpful but uncontrollable. If you have anxiety, you might cry often or uncontrollably.
Other signs of anxiety include:
- racing thoughts
- sweaty palms and increased heart rate
- digestion issues
Symptoms And Causes Of Depression
Symptoms of depression can be very different from person to person. However, as a general rule, if you are depressed you feel hopeless, sad and lacking interest in things that used to make you feel happy.
Depression symptoms are bad enough to interfere with work, social life and family life, and can persist for weeks or months.
Doctors describe depression in one of three ways, depending on how serious it is:
- mild depression it has some impact on daily life
- moderate depression it has a significant impact on your daily life
- severe depression this makes it nearly impossible to get through your life day to day
A few people with severe depression may have symptoms of psychotic depression.
Below is a list of depression symptoms it’s unlikely that one person would have all of them.
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How To Get Help
If you think your expressions of emotion are out of the norm or excessive, you should speak to a medical or mental health professional. If you are crying for no reason and find that it interferes with your regular activities, dont hesitate to seek help.
Treatments for depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health conditions may include:
- Complementary therapies, including mindfulness and exercise
Often, medical professionals will recommend a combination of therapies for maximum effect.
When To Get Help
If you find that episodes of uncontrollable, unexplained crying seem to be happening with greater intensity and more frequently, it may be time to seek help. If these episodes are interrupting your daily life or negatively impacting relationships, consult your doctor or a mental health professional.
If you choose to seek out a mental health professional, its important to find the right therapist for you. Look for someone who has experience treating people with similar issues around emotional lability and unexplained tearful episodes. You can also find therapists that are geographically convenient by consulting a professional therapist directory.
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Jason Describes What It Was Like When He Felt Out Of Control
I was like, crying uncontrollably. I was, I just felt out of control. I wasnt feeling myself. I literally feel like there was some kind of say, imbalance in my brain that was causing me not to be myself. I was, you know, being forgetful, it was in my logic. I was being antisocial as well, I was losing my friends, and so on. So, I think that was the lowest point where I knew how serious it was, but, and you know, when it struck me how big of a problem or issue it is.
Crying Out Bipolar Depression
Sometimes crying out the pain of an emotional situation works. I just did it with a friend. She, lovingly, sat across from me as I cried about a situation that I find hard. And it worked. I did, actually, feel better after crying out my emotions. But once, a therapist told me to cry out my bipolar depression. Instead of fighting the depression and pushing away the feelings, he told me my bipolar depression should be cried out.
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If Your Loved One Has Symptoms
- Encourage your loved one to seek professional help. If your loved one is considering harming themselves or having other dark thoughts, immediate treatment is critical. Go to the nearest emergency room or contact a local mental health provider. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 .
- Create a safe environment. If the person expresses suicidal thoughts, remove any potentially lethal items from the home, such as guns, Dr. Dunlop says.
- Be kind. Blaming or chastising depressed people for feeling low or unmotivated is not helpful and typically serves to reinforce negative feelings they already have, Dunlop says. Instead, open the discussion in a nonjudgmental way and encourage the person to seek help.
- Be willing to support treatment. Offer to help your loved one prepare a list of questions for a provider about depression or drive them to appointments.
Benefits Of Crying For Depression
According to Khurana, some scholars have thought that crying might release stress hormones like cortisol that accumulate in the body. They believe that after crying, people generally feel better.
A 2014 study showed that crying can provide soothing effects and release endorphins, or feel-good hormones. These effects can be delayed and come on a few minutes after you stop crying.
The same study showed that crying could also improve your mood due to the emotional release and reduced feelings of stress that it can bring.
I have had many patients say, You did your job because I cried, or this is the first time that I have cried in a very long time, Khurana says. And I have found that it often makes patients slow down and take stock of the range of emotions that they are feeling about whatever they are talking about.
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What Does It Mean When You Cry For No Reason
Many of us have quite likely been there at one point or another. There you are, going about your day, and everything seems to be going well. Then, out of nowhere, the urge to cry overwhelms you even though nothing happened to trigger your tears.
This can be unsettling, not to mention inconvenient if it happens when you are out in public. What does it mean when you cry for seemingly no reason? Is it the symptom of an underlying problem? If you’re crying for no reason, should you make an appointment with your doctor?
Crying During Anxiety Attacks
Its also not uncommon to feel like crying before, during, or after an anxiety attack. Many people feel impending doom, as though they are about to die. They respond by crying because thats a natural response to a feeling of intense dread along with the physiological reaction that occurs during a panic episode.
After an anxiety attack is over, others may still experience the intense emotions, often regarding the helplessness, they felt during the attack. Panic attacks are so intense that, when theyre over, the need to cry is natural and expected. Not everyone cries after anxiety attacks, but the intensity makes it natural to feel like crying.
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The Problem Of Missed Or Undiagnosed Pba
The July 2011 issue of the journal Advances in Therapy included the results of a survey of people with a history of Alzheimers disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , multiple sclerosis , Parkinsons disease, stroke, or traumatic brain injury six of the most common conditions associated with PBA.
The survey found that while three-quarters of the respondents had reported episodes of inappropriate laughing or crying to their doctors, none of them were diagnosed with PBA. Instead, roughly one-third of them were given a diagnosis of depression, and 13 percent were said to have bipolar disorder.
Worse, because of this misdiagnosis of PBA, only 52 percent of respondents with the condition were receiving appropriate treatment at the time of the survey.
Because proper treatment can reduce the frequency and severity of PBA episodes, if people who have the condition are not diagnosed or are misdiagnosed, that can have a significant impact on their quality of life.
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:
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Randal Lea Ma Ladac Ii Qcs
CHIEF COMMUNITY RECOVERY OFFICER
Randal Lea, our Chief Community Recovery Officer is a licensed addictions counselor with 30 years of clinical and administrative experience.
Randal received masters degrees in counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and in psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. He is a frequent presenter on a variety of topics such as assessment, sexual behavior in children, ethics, dreamwork and trauma. He is a certified practitioner of DreamTending and a qualified clinical supervisor.
Prior to his current role as Chief Community Recovery Officer, Randal served eight years as Assistant Commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services. In 2008, he was recognized by the Praed Foundation as a national Systems Champion for implementing a statewide childrens assessment for DCS. He also received the Friend of Children Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 from Tennessee Voices for Children after seven years on their board. Randal was also recognized in both 2000 and in 2015 as Professional of the Year by the Middle Tennessee chapter of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors .
You Can Play A Role In Research By Joining A Clinical Trial
Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. The goal of clinical trials is to determine if a new test or treatment works and is safe. 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 that others may be better helped in the future.
In addition to volunteer research opportunities for the patient groups listed above, research opportunities for healthy volunteers are also available. Healthy volunteers play a critical role in our studies.
For more information about clinical research and how to find clinical trials being conducted around the country, visit NIMH’s clinical trials webpage.
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Causes Of Uncontrollable Crying
Theres still a lot that we dont know about crying, who cries more, and why. Even large studies on crying and its effects rely on people to self-report, which makes results less consistent.
Crying is a tool to communicate an emotional response. It shows people around you that youre feeling something. You may cry more or less, depending on how sensitive you are to stimuli and how comfortable you feel openly showing your emotions.
Many scientists have worked to find out if a good cry that leaves you feeling refreshed is actually possible. Overall, the research is split. It may also depend a lot on how supportive your environment is to showing emotion.
A large study of men and women from around the world found that people report crying one to 10 times per month. In the United States, women reported crying 3.5 times and men reported crying 1.9 times.
This is higher than the global averages, which were 2.7 times for women and 1 time for men. These are just averages and other studies have found different results.
Stressed Or Depressed Know The Difference
If you are feeling overwhelmed by stress, you are not alone it’s practically a fact of life on college campuses. A poll conducted by mtvU and the Associated Press in the spring of 2009 reported that 85% of students say they experience stress on a daily basis.
Stress is good if it motivates you but it’s bad if it wears you down. Many factors can contribute to the stress you experience, and this stress can cause changes in your body that affect your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.
Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression.
The good news is that depression is a highly treatable condition. However, it’s not something you can snap out of by yourself, so it’s important to get help. How do you tell the difference between stress and depression? Both can affect you in similar ways, but there are key differences. Symptoms of depression can be much more intense. They last at least two weeks. Depression causes powerful mood changes, such as painful sadness and despair. You may feel exhausted and unable to act.
Here are common signs of stress and depression. Which fits you best?
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