Depression is one of the most common and misunderstood mental illnesses in the world. While just about everyone on the planet suffers from some form of depression during their lives, it’s not always easy to determine when you’re just having a bad day or might be depressed. We’ve put together this list of five common signs of depression and what they mean to your mental health.
5 Common Signs of Depression to Look Out For
While depression symptoms will vary among people, there are some common symptoms you’ll see in yourself and others. Five common signs of depression you should be aware of include:
- Feeling sad
- Lack of interest in activities that you enjoy
- Feeling worthless
- Lack of concentration
- Thoughts of death
Feeling sad, by itself, is a normal human emotion. You may feel sad because of an event, a bad day, or even by reading something that makes you feel down. When these feelings of sadness consume you, last for days on end, or can’t be pinpointed to a specific event, this may be a key sign you’re depressed.
A lack of interest in activities you typically enjoy is not normal, even when you’re sad. If participating in events or activities doesn’t lift your spirits, you may be in a bout of depression.
Feeling worthless is never a good feeling. You may have a bad day at work where you feel like you didn’t do enough or someone may say something to you that makes you feel worthless. If you bounce back from these moments, you don’t necessarily feel worthless in a way that contributes to depression; if you can’t bounce back, it’s a sign of concern.
A lack of concentration or focus on the world around you, especially at work, can be a sign you’re depressed. Depending on where your thoughts are taking you when you should be focusing can also pinpoint what is making you depressed and what you need to overcome to snap out of it.
Thoughts of death can be one of the most jarring common signs of depression. They come on suddenly and often so subtly that you may not realize what you’re thinking is not normal. Even simple thoughts like “what would happen if I stepped in front of a car?” or “what would everyone think if I was gone?” shouldn’t be dismissed. If you’re thinking about death, you need to speak with a counselor as soon as possible.
Common signs of depression will be different for everyone in how they present themselves. If you’re feeling one or more of the above, you should speak to a counselor to see what you can do to overcome depression.