11 Early Signs of Depression: Here's What You Should Do

Feeling low, especially in response to life's setbacks is normal. But when someone starts to feel hopeless or as some people explain, 'not happy not sad just empty' in way that affects how they think and feel in daily life, they may have depression.

There are various signs that tell if someone has clinical depression or not. It's better to be safe than sorry, so, the first step with treating depression stems from recognizing and accepting that you might be going through it.

Let's understand the first signs of depression, the causes behind it and what you should do if you or your loved one is going through it.

How to know you are depressed

Depression isn't the same for everyone, it varies from person to person but there are some common signs that one should look out for. These symptoms can be a normal part of life's lows but the more symptoms you have along with analyzing how strong they are and how long they last for, you may have depression.

Loss of interest in activities

One of the most telling signs of depression is when people start to loose interest in activities they used to love doing, they no longer find pleasure or enjoyment in such things be it their hobbies, going out with friends, playing sports, sex or even daily tasks.

Frequent mood swings

People with depression often go through rapid changes in mood that can fluctuate dramatically every now and then. They might feel like they are not happy not sad just empty. One minute there's an outburst of anger while the other moment they might be feeling extremely sad, irritable or even hopeless which might leave the person feeling guilty about their reactions.

Sleeping issues

Insomnia or excessive sleeping can be indicative of depression. They might find themselves awake all night overthinking about something that happened in the past or worrying about the future. Lack of sleep makes the person feel anxious and tired all the time leaving them with lack of energy. This can affect cognitive functions like emotional regulation and decision making abilities.

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Weight and appetite changes

Rapid weight loss or gain and drastic changes in eating habits can be signs of depression. This can vary from person to person based on the severity of depression and the type of depression they are going through. They might skip meals or turn to emotional eating as a means to overcome stress.

Feelings of hopelessness

A pervasive sense of feeling hopeless all the time, as if no one notices your tears is common among those suffering from depression. Feelings like "I am worthless," "it's all my fault," or "what's even the point," "things will never get better" surround them. Due to loss in ability to manage emotions properly, even minor setbacks are seen as big failures.

Physical symptoms

While clinical depression is mainly seen as a mental issue, it is also characterized by physical symptoms such as feeling tired or a lack of energy all the time, sudden changes in weight and appetite, experiencing digestive problems along with random aches or even slowing down of their speech or body movements.

Difficulty concentrating

Those with depression often report trouble focusing on tasks, remembering things or making decisions. Even simple activities like reading a book or watching a book may seem challenging. Brain fog, forgetfulness and loss of ability to focus on a single task for a long time along with being easily overwhelmed and difficulty in problem solving impairs the potential to concentrate.

Low sex drive

Some healthcare professionals consider changes in sex drive be it sexual dysfunction, desire or satisfaction to be one of the most noticeable factors for people dealing with depression. This might be due to low self esteem, low energy levels as well as loss of interest in pleasurable activities.

Withdrawal

Distancing oneself from friends and family can be a sign of depression. This intentional withdrawal or isolation can stem from feelings like being alone is better than being ignored, worthlessness or guilt or the avoidance of responsibilities at work, school or social functions as it may become overwhelming. This might include physical withdrawal- staying in room alone for extended periods of time or even emotional detachments along with avoiding seeking help for their condition.

Excessive guilt

Overthinking is the biggest cause of unhappiness. Such people tend to blame themselves for everything along with feeling distressed over past mistakes and finding it hard to accept compliments or praise from someone. Persistent feelings of guilt, often about trivial matters, can be indicative of depression.

Suicidal thoughts

It is associated with frequent thoughts of death or ending one's own life. Specific triggers including traumatic events or continuously feeling hopeless may contribute to this. Feeling "things would be better without me" leads to increased isolation from loved ones and suicidal intentions.

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Common causes of depression

Depression can arise from various factors like:

Genetic predispositions

Depression is a complex trait which means that if anyone from the family or a close relative has depression, it's more likely to increase the risk of being transferred.

Biological factors

Factors like imbalances in the brain's chemicals or neurotransmitters can influence mood. Additionally, fluctuations in hormones be it due to pregnancy, menstrual cycles, menopause or thyroid issues can cause depression to trigger in.

Traumatic events

Being abused or neglected in your childhood can have long term effects as it can make you vulnerable to depression. Not just this, death or demise of a closed one, though natural, can lead to depression.

Medical illness

Whether it's chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome or life threatening ailments like cancer or heart disease, the patients are vulnerable to getting under the influence of depression.

Substance abuse

Consistently consuming drugs or alcohol, even if it might provide you mental respite, is temporary in nature. In the long term, it can make it more likely to get into depression.

Personality traits

Personality traits like pessimism, being overly dependent, chasing perfectionism, being sensitive to criticism or rejection and overthinking, often termed as the biggest cause of unhappiness have been linked to a higher susceptibility to depression.

How depression varies with gender and age

• Women: Feelings of guilt, overeating, weight gain and excessive sleeping are more likely to be experienced by women. It can also be influenced by hormonal changes during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause.

• Men: Men might talk about fatigue, irritability, sleeping problems and a loss of interest in activities as opposed to acknowledging their feeling of hopelessness. They are less likely to recognize their depression and seek treatment.
• Age variations: Depression can manifest differently across age groups. Older adults might experience more physical symptoms as opposed to the emotional ones, while younger individuals might display more emotional symptoms like anger, agitation or reckless behaviour.

What to do if you have depression

If you think that you might be experiencing symptoms of depression, it's essential to seek professional help. Recognizing feelings such as "I am suffering" or "I am feeling empty" can be the first step towards recovery.

Additionally trying some of these activities can help you manage depression:

1. Involving yourself in mindfulness activities like meditation and deep breathing to train your brain to stay in the present moment.
2. Improving self-esteem and confidence through positive affirmations.
3. Exercising regularly instead of isolating yourself in your room.
4. Consuming a balanced diet rich in vitamins, mineral and amino acids.
5. Socializing for emotional support and a sense of belonging.

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What to do if a loved one has depression

Supporting a loved one with depression can be challenging. This support can involve:

1. Offering a listening ear in a non-judgmental way.
2. Encouraging them to seek treatment.
3. Accompanying them to their appointments.
4. Staying informed about depression symptoms and available measures.
5. Being patient, as the journey will not be easy.

Here, it's very important for the person to take self care to preserve their own mental wellbeing.

How Level SuperMind can help you

Battling depression may seem to be daunting. But the best way of getting out of depression is when one makes an effort to step out it. You just take the first step and thereafter, we'll be hand holding you throughout. Here's how we can help you:

Neuroscience backed activities- Depression stems from feelings of worry either related to the past or future. On Level SuperMind, you'll get an entire collection of mindful activities like meditation, music for stress and sleep, mantra chanting to center your mind, positive affirmations, stretches and yoga flow to open your mind and uplift confidence.

Here's a short clip of the meditation 'Manage depression' for you by Ranveer Allahbadia:

Personal mind coach- If you find it difficult to talk to a doctor or even a closed one regarding how you feel, you can let your heart out by sharing your problems with the personal mind coach which is a chatbot that offers you a lending ear, understands your mood and emotions and accordingly suggests an activity that you can do from the app for immediate relief.

In case you need any help, you can write to us at hey@level.game. We'll be there for you.