Depression and feelings of sadness prevent most of us from achieving our full potentials. If we can control or positively influence how we feel then we will be able to influence our performance and productivity. Depression is a serious illness and affects everything a person does and how he relates with the challenges of life and how he performs simple everyday tasks. Learning to recognise signs and symptoms of depression can alter one's life style and performances very significantly. It can bring about positive changes at no cost. When you recognise that you are not working at your optimal level you owe it to yourself and your family to deal with the “low level of functioning”. I call it depression. My definition of depression includes feeling down, sleeping a lot, not feeling positive about your work and not having energy to get up each morning.
Recognizing Depression
Recognising depression early is the first step to identifying and dealing with problems associated with depression. If you display any of the following symptoms or behaviours you have a certain amount of depression. If you can recognize and deal with these predisposing, early signs of depression then you will be happier and more productive. People around you too will feel your more vibrant “personality” and react accordingly. The whole atmosphere could be positively charged up because of your thinking. One of the first signs of depression is the presence of anxiety states. You are said to have an anxiety state if simple tasks make you feel anxious. If you are feeling anxious then you are obviously not “feeling right”. I will talk about managing depression later. At this point recognising the first sign of depression (anxiety state) is important.
Picture: CS Brain. Depression remains the most elusive disease
The second stage of early depression is the presence of mood swings. We all have mood swings. However, these mood swings are usually small and should not be leading you to kick, punch or otherwise harm others. If you are “venting” your anger on others (inappropriately) then you are depressed. Safe venting is when you talk about a problem angrily but do anything to harm others. Small mood swings are normal. These small mood swings can usually be corrected by talking to a friend, having a cup of tea or going for a walk. At other times mood swings are caused by underlying physical states e.g. at the end of a long tiring shift. These must be managed carefully and safely. If well managed the end result will be a better adjusted individual. If poorly managed the end result will be a maladjusted individual.
The third stage of early depression is one of feeling ad, down casted and miserable most of the time. Like mood swings and anxiety states, these feeling are common to all of us. However, the key difference is in the duration of these feelings. I you feel depressed, sad and down for long periods of time then you are on your way to a full blown state of depression. Felt sad, down or miserable most of the time? If you feel this way for any period lasting longer than a week you should seek professional help. Seeking professional help earlier will be cheaper and more effective sooner. Remember the age old saying. “a stitch in time saves nine.”
Feeling sad, down casted and miserable are common
If you have lost interest and pleasure in things you do frequently than you may be looking at the fourth sign of early depression. You will be able to recognise this sign if you have lost interest in, for example, your hobbies. Your family may be noticing that you no longer go out for your usual walk etc. If you have lost interest for one day or two you are not depressed. The critical period is usually a week or two weeks. Now you know another sign of early depression and are better equipped to deal with it.
If you have started to eat more or significantly less than usual then you may be displaying one of the early signs of depression. Changes in appetite are indicators of early depression. If there is a lot of weight loss it is clear that the individual has been depressed for a long time. The weight loss can be potentially dangerous.
On a regular basis these signs and symptoms are hard to identify unless you are a professional or your network of friends and family circle know these signs of depression they will go unnoticed. Below are easy to identify behaviours which should indicate to you that you are depressed.
Recognising Depression from behaviours
- Depressed people go out less than usual. This is in comparison to their normal behaviour.
- Depressed people or people who do not like their jobs often get to work late because they lack the desire to work.
- Depressed people communicate less with their family member, friends and close ones. The technical term used for such people is “withdrawing from circle of friends”
- Depressed people tend to drink morethan their usual amounts. They also tend to use sedatives and other drugs to help them cope with stress.
Depression as a disease seems to be increasing rapidly in the affluent parts of the world.