Do I have Depression? The Obvious and the Subtle Signs
If you find yourself Googling “Am I depressed?” or “Why do people live” or anything like that, perhaps on Incognito mode, you might be depressed or just in a philosophical mood. But you probably already know which one of the two it is. Let us find out for sure. Here are the subtle yet obvious signs of depression.
See a
best psychiatrist in coimbatore if you’ve had more than one of these symptoms for weeks.
What are the signs?
-
Sleep disorders and constant fatigue- “I am always sleepy, but I never sleep, even when I am sleeping.” “I feel sleepiest when I wake up.” Sounds familiar? And that is been going on long enough for you to start treating it like a joke just to cope with it? This is a symptom of depression. You need therapy more than sleeping pills or energy drinks.
Fatigue or lethargy is an obvious result of this and before you let anybody tell you it is just laziness, ask yourself, “Am I really lazy?” “If I am, does this feel like my usual laziness?” You’ll know best. - Reckless behaviour- Finding yourself doing and saying things that’s just not you? Sabotaging friendships, getting into substance abuse, and then feeling like a loser about it? Sometimes these symptoms get diagnosed as Borderline Personality Disorder, but even if that diagnosis is correct, it is most often a cause of chronic depression and that is the root you need to address.
- Anxiety- This is again another diagnosis that often comes as a result of underlying depression. You feel like a failure because you end up sleepy whenever you think about your deadlines? You get panic attacks, or just go so numb that the person beside you has no idea you are fighting a storm within while sitting there like the most peaceful monk? You’re likely to have both, anxiety and depression.
- Body aches- Feel foot aches, backaches, headaches, and other sorts of pain that you don’t even know the reason for? You know your body is not getting rest because your mind isn’t. Those are not unreasonable aches. Depression is the commonest reason, only often invisible to non-professionals. This is why you need to see a psychiatrist in Coimbatore before you start popping too many pain relief pills.
- Unusual appetiteOnce again, binge eating and then feeling guilty about it can be diagnosed as Bulimia Nervosa and not eating at all end ending up losing weight and strength can be diagnosed as Anorexia Nervosa. But you will know why you are eating everything at times and nothing the rest of the time. You will know the helplessness you feel that makes you act that way. And you will know what you need to be talking about.
- Poor Performance- When you cannot focus on work or your studies, you start feeling anxious, hopeless, and guilty. Often people are misdiagnosed with ADD. Sometimes it is ADD or ADHD but more often than not, it is depression, a failing coping mechanism that makes every job 10 times more difficult than usual.
- Suicidal Thoughts- “I want to kill myself.” Such an obvious symptom, right? When you really feel it? But Also look out for “I don’t want to die, I just want to sleep… and not have to wake up.” “I don’t want to jump in front of a train. I just thought about it… And won’t exactly mind really.” “I did not slash my wrist, I just fantasize jumping off the terrace. I never really mean to go ahead and do it!” Do realize all these thoughts and even subtler thoughts of self harm or the lack of self care are signs of depression.
- Loss of Motivation- “Sure I am alive but what do I have to live for?” Earning millions, going on a world tour, trying every cuisine in the world, reading every book, watching every good movie, learning a language or musical instrument that sounds beautiful, living for the people who care about you, these are no more as important to you as some rest and peace. And you just don’t have the strength to feel like doing any of this anymore. Your bucket list looks seems to be moving further and further away into the ocean while you keep sinking in the sand.
Can depression be cured?
If you can relate to all, some, or even one of these feelings, or anything like this, please, get help. See a good psychiatrist in Coimbatore. You deserve to feel better. You deserve to get sleep, to get to perform better, and to not feel guilty for not being able to do the things you want to or need to do. Sometimes everybody needs a little external help, even the strong ones, especially the strong ones after having been strong for a little too long.