7 Signs of Depression (and What You Can Do About It)

Depression can arise at any time, in anyone. Here’s what to look out for, and your methods for coping.

Signs of Depression

1. Irritability and Changes in Mood

Your moods may fluctuate, you may be quick to anger, or you may feel out of place. Depression doesn’t mean feeling low every minute of the day (although it can happen), and moods can vary.

2. Low Mood

Depression can cause a significant low mood, which means negative thoughts, low self-esteem, and feeling hopeless.

3. Lack of Motivation

You may not have any motivation to do anything, even pastimes you used to enjoy. This could even extend to not having the motivation to get out of bed.

4. Unhealthy Habits

You could be turning to substances like alcohol, or you may be binge eating. It may also be that you lack an appetite and are not eating at all.

5. Being Withdrawn

You may find that you don’t wish to spend time with, or talk to, anyone, and you only want to be alone.

6. Oversleeping, or Trouble Sleeping

Depression may find you wanting to stay in bed all day, or it may find you feeling constantly fatigued. In contrast, it may also mean that you’re struggling to fall asleep or struggling to get a consistent night’s sleep.

7. No Energy

Sometimes, even talking can feel like too much.

Your Options

If you are showing or one more of these signs, then you should consider what you can do to help move forward. You could try one of the following:

• Practice Mindfulness

A difficulty with depression for a lot of people is the burden of overthinking and negative thinking. Mindfulness is a way to attempt to control that. With mindfulness, you are living truly in the moment and focusing on the little things in the moment. This could be your breathing, the sights and sounds you can see around you at the moment, or concentrating fully on a specific task, even if it’s just eating your cereal.

Mindfulness is, therefore, a technique to train your brain to be in the moment rather than wandering and progressing to negative thoughts, which can alter your mood.

• Seek Help

There are many methods for treating depression, but in the first instance, you need to make the right step to discussing them. This could be with your healthcare professional, a counselor, or even just a loved one. Speaking honestly about how you’re feeling is the first step to seeking help. Your doctor may recommend medication, counseling, or both, but you always have the right to discuss any options you’d feel more comfortable with.

• Make Lifestyle Changes

Depression never has to have a cause or reason: it can happen to anyone. However, there’s always a chance that aspects of your lifestyle are affecting how you feel, even subconsciously. If there is anything in your life – such as a bad job, a toxic person, or any negative situation – which is draining your mood, seeking to change this could help to improve your life and get you on the right path.