10 Depression Signs And Symptoms

We often misunderstand depression with just temporary negative emotions. I want to clear that depression is not an emotion, it's an illness. Back in the day, an outcast was one who was not part of a society for breaking a certain law. Someone like Robin Hood, who was celebrated. But now we are in the 21st century, and a depressed person is an outcast. On the one hand, a person crawling through shadows hiding what they feel are portrayed as people with "ideal behaviour"

And if you live in an Indian society, then there is added pressure on your head. I remember when I was 16 years old, and I went to my parents and said that I think I have depression. You can see I was still in denial. I said "I think". And this is how they reacted exactly: "Are you mad? You don't even know what depression is. You have everything in life." And just then, I thought I could not afford to get depressed, or it will break my family. This is the kind of denial we live in throughout our lives. My parents thought that I have food in my mouth and a warm bed to sleep in the night, how could I have depression? Depression was only for the less privileged.

But I want to tell you that our life is not a bed of roses. And our thinking is so Hollywood. Just as in Hollywood films, aliens always attack western countries, they never come to India. This is exactly how we treat depression. Only a first-world country could have depression. It's as if we're not "qualified" to have it.

But I'm here to tell you that now is the time you come out of your shell of denial and accept it as you are. This is not the time or era to lie to yourself. There are some basic human emotions that you can feel from time to time, like- feeling unloved or hopeless sometimes. It is a normal part of the human experience, and there is nothing wrong with it. Death can cause it in your family or friends, or a romantic break up or getting a poor grade or not getting a promotion at work. So keep a clear line between these emotions and the signs I am going to point out below.

I want to point out 10 important signs of depression. While you are reading this, try to analyse the difference between temporary sadness caused due to an event and the signs listed down below:

Following are the 10 signs of depression-

1. A Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood throughout the day.
2. You constantly have feelings of hopelessness or despair- when you always see the negative aspect of everything and thinking of the worst of every event of your life.
3. You constantly have feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness- when you always feel guilty for your actions. You think that you are not made for anything in your life, and you feel like you have hit rock bottom.
4. Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, even sex- When you lose interest in any activity in your life, and you want to lock yourself in your room and want to go away from everything.
5. Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling "slowed down" - when you always feel tired, and sense exhaustion as if your mind will explode at any moment.
6. Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions- When you cannot remember the most natural things, and you find it so difficult to make any decision on your own for the smallest things like what you want to eat for dinner.
7. Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping- When you are just rolling on your bed the whole night and you cannot sleep. Or sometimes when you sleep you sleep for a long time. If you are experience disturbed sleep or tend to wake up very early in the morning, it might be a problem.
8. Appetite and weight loss or overeating and weight gain- When you don't feel like eating at all or when you eat, you eat like this is the last day of your life. And this leads to weight gain or weight loss.
9. Restlessness or irritability - when your mind and body are always in an anxious state, which leads to irritability.
10. Thoughts of death or suicide or actual suicide attempts- If you are having suicidal thoughts, then this is a warning sign, and now is the time to get help from the professionals.

Why You Should Care?

World health organization reports that India is the most depressed country in the world. One in six Indian suffers from depression. The most number of deaths between 15 to 24 years of age is not due to road accidents but due to suicide. Isn't it alarming that we are losing our bright minds to depression? We are one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and imagine what we can do if we are able to save these brilliant minds. So if you want to help such people then dont hesitate to talk to them. Because together, we can.

Now you have read, and you can evaluate what kind of thoughts or feelings you are having. Now you have a clear outline of what state you are in. Don't ever hesitate to talk about it. But know whom to talk to. Only open to people who support you as you are without distorting your thoughts or emotions and are accepting of all kinds of behaviour - no judgements.

In the next article, I will talk about the reasons and how you can overcome this illness. And believe me, it's not difficult. With a good support system and determination, you can do it as I have done it.

So feel free to tell me how you feel and what types of thoughts or feelings you are having. You can leave your comment in the comment section.