Signs of Depression
This article discusses the types of depression and warning signs of suicide.
Everyone experiences times of ups and downs throughout life. It is completely normal to feel down about recent loss or disappointment. Depression is much more than just feeling sad. Many people suffering from depression describe their experience as being trapped and feeling like they’re in a black hole and feeling deep sadness. With that being said, feeling sad is not necessarily a requirement for being depressed. Many people who are depressed are not sad but rather have feelings of apathy, having no reason to live, lifelessness.
There are three different types of depression:
- Mild Depression – you may be down for a day to a week from a recent loss in family or disappointment.
- Moderate Depression (Dysthymic Disorder) – this is the most common type of diagnosed depression. This type of depression usually occurs for long periods of time and is more resistant to medication.
- Major Depression (Clinical Depression) – this is the most serious type of depression. In order for a person’s depression to be characterized as Clinical Depression, suicidal thoughts must have occurred. Medication may be used to help this type of depression.
Symptoms of Depression
Many depression symptoms are polar extremes. This means they are one way for one person but may be completely and totally opposite for another person.
- Inability to sleep or too much sleep
- Loss of appetite or you eat too much
- Loss of interest in once passionate activities
- Feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.
- Uncontrollable negative thoughts, no matter the attempt to control them
- More irritable than before
- Thoughts that life is pointless
- Self loathing
- Lack of energy (If the person is a victim of ADD or ADHD, they may be servery depressed but the ADD or ADHD may cause them to have excess energy.)
- Unexplainable aches and pains
Warning Signs of Suicide
- Giving items away because they “won’t/don’t need/want it anymore.”
- Calling and visiting people to say goodbye
- Unusually obsession with death
- Expression of strong feelings of hopelessness
- Talking about killing one’s self
- Endangering one’s self as if it doesn’t matter
- Mentioning of things such as “Everyone would be better off without me.”
If you know anyone who is portraying any of these warning signs of suicide, give them a call. Talk to them. Asking about suicide won’t give them the idea of it. Urge them to seek immediate medical attention. If you feel they may commit it before they can get help, dial 911 immediately.
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