Recognizing Depression

Do you suspect that someone you love is suffering from depression? Could it just be a case of the blues? It’s not always easy to tell the difference, especially when there’s a good reason to feel down. Grief, losing a job, or a chronic illness can all cause behaviors that might be mistaken for depression. Sadness is an emotion, whereas depression is an illness.

The following warning signs indicate that a person isn’t dealing with normal, transient emotions but with the illness of depression. Note that symptoms vary by individual. A depressed person isn’t likely to have all the symptoms at once, and their severity may shift. Depression can be mild or major; either way, if several symptoms are present and last for more than two weeks, medical help is needed.

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, focusing and making decisions
• A bleak outlook—feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
• Loss of interest in daily activities—hobbies, pastimes, and social activities.
• Appetite or weight changes, which indcludes a significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
• Sleep changes—either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (hypersomnia).
• Anger or irritability—feeling agitated, restless, or violent.
• Loss of energy—feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained.
• Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
• Reckless behavior—engaging in substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
• Unexplained aches and pains, including an increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.

Depression often looks different in men and women, and in young people and older adults. An awareness of these differences helps ensure that the problem is recognized and treated. Depressed men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness. Instead, they tend to complain about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest in work and hobbies. Other signs and symptoms of depression in men include anger, aggression, violence, reckless behavior, and substance abuse. Even though depression rates for women are twice as high as those in men, men are a higher suicide risk, especially older men.

Women are more likely to be depressed than men partly due to hormonal factors, particularly when it comes to premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and perimenopausal depression. Women are more likely than men to experience pronounced feelings of guilt, sleep excessively, overeat, and gain weight. Women are also more likely to suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

While some depressed teens appear sad, others do not. In fact, irritability—rather than depression—is frequently the predominant symptom in depressed adolescents and teens. A depressed teenager may be hostile, grumpy, or easily lose his or her temper. Unexplained aches and pains are also common symptoms of depression in young people. Left untreated, teen depression can lead to problems at home and school, drug abuse, self-loathing—even violence and suicide. But with help, teenage depression is highly treatable.

Older adults often become depressed due to loss of independence, and health problems. However, depression is not a normal part of aging. Older adults tend to complain more about the physical rather than the emotional signs and symptoms of depression, and so the problem often goes unrecognized. Depression in older adults is associated with poor health, a high mortality rate, and an increased risk of suicide, so diagnosis and treatment are extremely important.

Depression comes in many shapes and forms. The different types of depression have unique symptoms, causes, and effects. Like depression, different people start to heal in different ways. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. If you recognize the signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of social support, lifestyle changes, emotional skills building, and professional help.

If you suspect that someone in your life is suffering from depression, speak up right away. Even if you’re unsure that depression is the issue, the troublesome behaviors and emotions you’re seeing are signs of a problem. Whether or not that problem turns out to be depression, it still needs to be addressed—the sooner the better.

If you think a teenager in your life is depressed, share your concerns in a loving and non-judgmental way. Let him/her know what specific signs of depression you’ve noticed and why they worry you. Then encourage your child to share what he/she is going through.

Your teen may be reluctant to open up; may be ashamed or afraid of being misunderstood. Alternatively, depressed teens may simply have a hard time expressing what they’re feeling. If your teen claims nothing is wrong but has no explanation for what is causing the depressed behavior, you should trust your instincts.

Don’t give up if your adolescent shuts you out at first. Talking about depression can be very tough for teens. Be respectful of your child’s comfort level while still emphasizing your concern and willingness to listen. Remember that denial is a strong emotion. Furthermore, teenagers may not believe that what they’re experiencing is the result of depression.

As a parent dealing with teen depression, you may find yourself focusing all your energy and attention on your depressed child. Meanwhile, you may be neglecting your own needs and the needs of other family members. While helping your depressed child should be a top priority, it’s important to keep your whole family strong and healthy during this difficult time. Make sure your teen gets the medical treatment necessary.

If you believe your parent is depressed, you can help. The very nature of depression interferes with a person’s ability to seek help, draining energy and self-esteem. For depressed seniors, raised in a time when mental illness was highly stigmatized and misunderstood, it can be even more difficult—especially if they don’t believe depression is a real illness, are too proud or ashamed to ask for assistance, or fear becoming a burden to their families.

If an elderly person you care about is depressed, you can make a difference by offering emotional support. Listen with patience and compassion. Don’t criticize feelings expressed, but point out realities and offer hope. You can also help by seeing that your parent gets an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Help your loved one find a good doctor, accompany him/her to appointments, and offer moral support.

If you’re the one who is depressed, it’s important to find ways to better manage stress and balance your emotions. Building emotional skills can give you the ability to cope and bounce back from adversity, trauma, and loss. Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help. In addition to letting your family know what is going on, seek the help of a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, or counselor.