Am I depressed, or just sad?
The loss of a loved one or job, the end of a relationship, seasonal changes, or stresses associated with changing careers, moving, or having a baby are common reasons for people to feel depressed. However, depression is not exclusively tied to negative or stressful life events. It can be very frustrating is when no obvious stressors are occurring, yet you still don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning or joining in on the fun throughout the day. If that’s the case for you, you’re not alone; each year 8% of adults and 20% of teens in Canada suffer from a major depressive episode.
Here are 10 signs that you may be suffering from depression:
1. Negative thoughts about yourself
– self-hate or loathing, feeling like you’re not good enough and “beating yourself up”, especially about things you think you’ve failed at.
2. No energy
– frequent feelings of lethargy or fatigue, and every tasks seems like a chore.
3. Sleeplessness or too much sleep
– frequent insomnia (under-sleeping) or hypersomnia (over-sleeping).
4. Change of appetite
– one that leads to a significant weight gain or loss in a short period (e.g., more than 5% change in your body weight in a month).
5. No fun anymore
– your daily activities and hobbies don’t excite you and it’s hard to find joy or pleasure in your life.
6. Becoming a hermit
– withdrawing from friends and family; spending more and more time alone.
7. Blurry brain
– difficulty remembering and/or concentrating on everyday activities.
8. A sense of hopelessness
– you feel as though your life circumstances don’t have much chance of improving in the future.
9. Guilt
– Blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong and playing negative events over and over in your mind
10) Irritability
– decreased patience with friends and family; everyone and everything keeps getting on your nerves.
If you are struggling with any of these difficulties, help is available! At The Mindful Living Centre, our skilled therapists use Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches to empower adults and teens to overcome depression. Studies show that CBT is one of the most effective treatments for depression, often providing long-lasting results.
Please note: this article is for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for therapy or advice from a qualified professional.
