HIDDEN DEPRESSION

Life is all about up’s and down. Some days you might feel low and at times you have your high. However, for those who are suffering from depression, it’s more than just feelings of temporary sadness.

Some people with depression may try to hide the signs from others, or they may not even realize that they have depression. Although the typical symptoms of depression, such as sadness or hopelessness, can be easy to recognize, there are symptoms that may be less obvious. Listed here are few signs that could be possible indication that you or someone you know is suffering from depression.

1. Unusual sleep

When a person seems to have changed the way they sleep, that’s often a sign that something is wrong. Sleep is the foundation of both good health and mental health. When a person can’t sleep or sleeps for far too long, that may be a sign of hidden depression.

2. Forced happy face

Sometimes, people refer to hidden depression as “smiling depression.” This is because people who hide their symptoms may put on a happy face when in the company of others. However, it can be difficult to keep up this forced happiness, so the mask may slip and a person may show signs of sadness, hopelessness, or loneliness.

3. Anger and irritability

Some depression doesn’t even look like depression, depending upon a person’s emotional regulation abilities and whether they tend to ruminate more than most people. Increased anger and irritability where a person appears to be angry and irritable at nearly everyone, all of the time — may be a sign of hidden depression.

4. Abnormal eating habits

Eating too little or too much is a common sign of depression. Overeating is often shamed the most, when food can be the one source of pleasure a depressed person is able to give themselves and thus causes them to eat excessively. When a depressed person is eating too little, it’s often because their depression is affecting their appetite and making eating unappealing.

5. Feel things more intensely than normal

A person with masked depression often feels emotions more intensely than others. This might come across as someone who doesn’t normally cry while watching a TV show or movie suddenly breaks out in tears during a poignant scene. Or someone who doesn’t usually express terms of endearment suddenly is telling you that they love you. It’s like by keeping their depressive feelings all boxed up, other feelings leak out around the edges more easily.

6. Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

People who are depressed may eventually become slow thinkers and will take longer to speak even a single sentence. Some might even experience slow body movements.

7. Disinterest in hobbies

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities is also one of the symptoms of depression. Disinterest in activities that a person used to enjoy can be one of the first signs that other people notice when their loved one has depression.

8. Physical pain

Yes, depression can literally hurt. There is increasing recognition of the physical symptoms of depression, which include headaches, stomach pain, and back pain.

9. Fatigue

Many people with depression find it difficult to get out of bed — and we're not just talking about hitting the snooze button. For some, getting up seems nearly impossible. They may also find themselves spending unusual amounts of time in bed throughout the day, or having trouble with normal activities because of fatigue.

10. May often seem exhausted

A prevalent side effect of depression is constant exhaustion. For those who experience this symptom with their depression, it’s often one of the hardest side effects to cope with.

Common causes of depression

• Abuse- Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can cause depression later in life.

• Certain medications- For example, some drugs used to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers or reserpine, can increase your risk of depression.

• Conflict- Depression may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.

• Death or a loss- Sadness or grief from the death or loss of a loved one, though natural, can also increase the risk of depression.

• Genetics- A family history of depression may increase the risk. It's thought that depression is passed genetically from one generation to the next.

• Substance abuse- Nearly 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major or clinical depression.

Not everyone with depression will display the typical symptoms of sadness and despair. People concerned that a loved one has hidden depression should try talking to them about their symptoms and offering non-judgmental support and advice. Individuals who suspect that they have depression should consider discussing it with a friend or mental health professional.

#health #mental_health #depression #hidden_depression #exhaustion #happiness