How do you know if someone is suffering from depression?
1. Loss of interest in previously pleasant things. On most occasions, this loss of pleasure also known as anhedonia is not always in its entirety. Therefore, your loved ones spending quality time on things that requires little or no effort like video games, following tv series without missing out on an episode and constant surfing of the web. This easily leads to thoughts or comments like “You have enough time and interest to surf the web, but not when it comes to spending quality time with me.” Getting into deep talks with other individuals and striving to meet their emotional needs at the moment requires much more effort than what is required to sit in from of the television set all day long.
2. Difficulty sleeping: This can take the form of problems falling asleep or waking up during the night or the first hours of the morning. You can find your beloved in another room, trying to pass the time. This can disrupt your own sleep and may feel like dropping, which leads to him saying things like, “Not only is not available to me during the day, but even at night” Again, it’s important to do not take the symptom personally, but recognize it for what it is. To gain weight.
3. Changes in food, too little or too much, with the corresponding weight changes in the expected direction. A husband (for example), you can easily get angry with his wife and blame her for eating too much and gaining weight, misinterpreting the symptom as a sign that no longer cares about her personal life and, therefore, “let go “.
4. Anger and irritability: A depressed person has trouble spending the day. Common obstacles and challenges become more difficult and can lead to frustration and feelings that accompany it. This is another revealing sign of depression that is easy to take personally.
5. Express negative thoughts: You may feel excited about something and your friend or loved one back with a negative answer, such as “I do not think it matters anything” or “What does it matter? It makes no difference. Such negative thoughts are a cardinal symptom of depression, but sometimes they feel almost calculated to stop things. Depressed persons have been known to not drag others into their misfortune, even though it is often the effect of thoughts and depressive emissions.
6. Suicidal thoughts: These can take a passive form, like “I do not care if I live or die” or a more active form, like “Sometimes I want the car on the road. Always take these statements very seriously. There is a common myth that if someone is really suicidal, they do not tell others; they’re doing it. Because of this mistaken logic, if the person speaks to you about it, you might wrongly conclude that they will not really do it. Nothing further from the truth. Voicing out these thoughts is not only peculiar to persons suffering from depression but this justifies the treatment itself as it suggests that such treatment is urgently needed.
7. Loss of self-confidence and optimism about the future is a sign of depression: Depressed people feel bad about themselves and their future. If your friend or relative is generally more confident and optimistic and this is changing, suspect that you are depressed.
If it detects one or more of these signs in a friend or loved one, you can see a more complete list of major depression symptoms in the standard manual for psychiatric disorders, the DSM-IV.
Once suspicions of depression encourage your friend or loved one to consult and deal with a qualified person, not only for them, but for yours. Sometimes it can also be helpful and comforting to offer to accompany the person to the consultation.
How to get out of constantly having a low mood?
1. Exercise
Usually, walking a dog might not seem like a big deal until you have to get out of town for a few weeks without your dog before you realize how much you need the walk yourself. Stroking a dog increases the levels of the hormone oxytocin, which feels good, and reduces the levels of stress hormones. Try this, to witness it.
Exercise increases levels of serotonin and dopamine production in the brain and has been proven to be as effective as antidepressants. Practicing for at least 30 minutes a day with good music in the gym will definitely go a long way in helping with mood swings.
2. Friends and family
If you had earlier found it difficult to make & maintain friends plus staying in touch with family members that matter, it is time to focus on building friendships with people in your workplace, at the gym, in your neighborhood and religious place of worship. Going on an holiday trip with friends and family is one of the best ways to supercharge your low mood.
3. Foods that stimulate the brain
While looking for ways to get out of low moods, for your own good, there is need to have deep knowledge about human nutrition as it is essential you know the impact of certain food on the brain. Readjusting your eating pattern to accommodate green smoothies, reduced sweet candies and lots of other fruits like vegetables and fiber coupled with foods containing omega-3 fatty acid which does a lot of good to the brain. Most importantly, healthy protein, fish oil supplements and daily dose of vitamin D3 supplements should be considered as there is a strong link between vitamin D and mood.
4. “What went well”
According to one of the researched tools of Dr. Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology sitting back at the end of the day to reflect over the positive things that happened in the course of your daily activities is a great way to end the day. He further advised saying a word of prayer in form of gratitude to simply thank God for all the good that’s taking place in your life will go a long way in shaping your perspective.
5. Limit alcohol
As it has been proven over time that alcohol is a depressant, there is need to find that one thing that interests you and channel the energy and resources you waste on drinking into developing your new found love in form of hobby.
6. Prayer
Studies have shown a positive effect of prayer on mental health. While trying to get back to being your normal jovial self, there is need to add some new practices into the new person you are becoming and that is where prayer comes I, no matter the religion you practice, when you make out time to contemplate every morning and just before you go to bed every night, you will realize your life will turn out more anchored and stable.
What do you think about this post on the difference between feeling low and clinical depression? Drop your comments below.
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