Are You Depressed?

How do you know if you’re depressed? When does sadness become depression? How many “bad days” can a person have in a row and not be considered depressed? How can you tell that what you’re feeling is something that’s going to get better on its own? These are excellent questions.

Below are two types of indicators: yellow indicators, which signal caution and should be monitored, and red indicators, which signal identified symptoms of depression. Red indicators are certainly important for you to be aware of, but watch for the number of yellow indicators present. Yellow tend to turn into red over time, if not addressed. It is important to note that these indicators are not scientific tools, but rather a way for you to identify contributing conditions in your life. If you believe that you or someone you love is suffering from depression, seek professional help.

Yellow Indicators

• A loss of enjoyment with established activities.
• Feeling restless, tired, or unmotivated at work.
• An increase in irritability or impatience.
• Feeling either “wound up” or “weighed down.”
• Feeling overburdened with life and its activities.
• A lack of spiritual peace or well-being.
• Finding relief by controlling aspects of your personal behavior, including consuming liquids or food.
• A fear of expressing strong emotions.
• A constant anxiety or vague fear about the future.
• Feeling unappreciated by others.
• Feeling a sense of martyrdom, as if you are constantly asked to do the work of others.
• Exercising a pattern of impulsive thinking or rash judgments.
• Sexual difficulties or a loss of interest in sexual activities.
• A sense of enjoyment at seeing the discomfort of others.
• Anger at God for how you feel.
• A recurrent pattern of headaches, muscle aches, or body pains.
• Feeling social isolation and distancing yourself from family or friends.
• Feeling trapped during your day by what you have to do.
• Displaying a pattern of pessimistic or critical comments and/or behaviors.
• Feeling like your best days are behind you and the future doesn’t hold much promise.
• Feeling “left out” of life.
• Binging on high calorie foods to feel better.
• Apathetic upon waking about how the day will turn out.
• Feeling it is easier just to do things yourself instead of wanting to work with others.
• Experiencing recurring gastrointestinal difficulties.
• Feeling trapped inside your body.
• Dreading the thought of family get-togethers or social gatherings.
• Feeling overweight, unattractive, or unlovable.
• Feeling old, discarded, and without value.
• Unmotivated to try new activities, contemplate new ideas, or enter into new relationships.

Red indicators

• A significant change in appetite, lasting longer than two weeks, resulting in either marked weight loss or weight gain.
• Disturbances in your sleep patterns for longer than two weeks, resulting in difficulty falling and staying asleep.
• Increased agitation or inability to relax, occurring for an extended period of time (longer than two weeks).
• Feelings of fatigue, lethargy, or loss of energy, occurring for an extended period of time (longer than two weeks).
• Feelings of sadness, despondency, despair, loneliness, or worthlessness, ongoing for an extended period of time (longer than two weeks).
• Inability to concentrate, focus, or make decisions, recurring over a period of time (longer than two weeks).
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
• Planning or attempting suicide.

If you answered “yes” to one or more red indicators, do not ignore the signs and just hope they will go away. Talk to a counseling professional that can help you work through these issues in a responsible, thoughtful way. The Center • A Place of HOPE has been consistently ranked among the top treatment facilities in the country for depression. If you answered “yes” to the red indicators, or are struggling with multiple yellow indicators, call 1-888-771-5166 to discuss treatment options. Know that you are not alone during this struggle, and never lose hope.

Excerpts of this blog were taken from Dr. Gregory Jantz’s book Turing Your Down into Up: A Realistic Plan for Healing from Depression.