6 Ways to Recognize Depression

Learning to recognize signs of depression in yourself and others you are close to is the first step to overcoming depression.

1. Avoiding socialization – When people begin to draw away from their families and friends and spend more time alone this may be a sign of depression.

2. Lack of sleep (Insomnia) – Do you toss and turn every night, and find it difficult to fall asleep? Does someone you know get increasingly darker bags under their eyes? Do you have trouble getting out of bed each morning? Are you lacking motivation? This could mean you, or they are suffering from depression.

3. Consuming more alcohol – When the 5 o’clock happy hour becomes more frequent or turns into 3 o’clock or 2 o’clock this can be a sign that someone has a problem with depression.

5. Worthless feeling or thoughts of harming yourself or suicide – This is the strongest sign of depression. An extreme change in ones emotion and behavior is most commonly a sign of a change in mental state and commonly this is depression.

6. Increased irritability – Being easily annoyed or irritated may just be a common thing in your personality, or can be caused by raging hormones in teenagers, but may also be a sign of depression, especially when accompanied by other symptoms or signals of depression.

Millions of people are diagnosed with depression each year. Small changes to your lifestyle can change, improve, and lesson the symptoms that you or someone you are close to could be dealing with. Contact a doctor as they can help lead you on a path to triumphant treatment.