Depression: How to Recognize It

Picture: Alcohol and drugs are used frequently to feel good. Alcohol is a depressant and it compounds the problem

1. Depressed people often stop doing the things they usually enjoy doing. A typical example would be a young man who stops playing football or cricket which he always did in the evening.
2. Loss of concentration is another early sign of depression. This may not be easily recognised by the patient but it may reflect in a student's academic performance. In adults who are not engaged in academic work it may be recognised when they are watching a movie and at the end they “lose the plot”
3. We all talk to ourselves in our minds. Negative mind talk is an early sign of depression. Mentioned below are some negative thoughts which are identifiable in depressed people.
4. Depressed people often say to themselves that they are “failures”. These feelings may be reality based or simple the result of negative feedback from significant other or people who are important to the patient. Sometimes they are unreal to the world but real to the patient.
5. Blaming themselves for negative outcomes is a frequently seen sign in many depressed people. Each depressed individual may say, "It"s all my fault'.
6. Negative thinking dominates their thought processes. It is not unusual for a depressed person to say, “Nothing good ever happens when I'm around”. As can be seen from this statement depressed people also interpret their environment to be negative.
7. As depression gets worse, negative thinking become more marked. Feelings of worthlessness may dominate the individual's thinking. He / She may say “I'm good for nothing” or “I'm worthless”. We often joke about these things but for the depressed individual these are real feelings.
8. As depression worsens so will the thinking process. Some depressed individuals may openly make statements like. “it is not worth living,” “life is meaningless” and “life is not worth living.” Many of us make these statements like these for fun. However, these are real to the depressed person.

Picture: Life feels empty to the depressed person even when it is full to the ordinary person. Photograph by Sarjeet S. Gill.

1. Depressed people often think of suicide. Some will do it openly, other may plan their suicide quietly. This is called suicide ideation.
2. If a friend who is depressed starts to give away his belongings then you need to get professional help for your friend. Giving away personal belongings is an indicator of suicide intent. The depressed suicidal person will often give his loved possessions to close friends.

This article is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional consultation and should not be used as such.