Being unhappy does not mean that you are depressed.
The term depression is often used loosely to describe how we feel after an unsatisfactory week at work or when we are going through a breakup.
Depressive disorder, which is a type of depression, is much more complex.
There are specific symptoms that determine if there is depression or sadness that we sometimes feel in life.
Sadness is a natural response to loss, disappointment, problems, or other difficult situations.
Feeling it from time to time is just another part of being human.
In these cases, feelings of sadness will fade quickly and you can move on with your daily life.
A person may say they feel “depressed,” but if it disappears on its own and does not affect life in a significant way, it may not be depressive.
It can be determined whether the persistent dark feelings are the result of sadness resulting from a stimulus or unjustified sadness for a long period exceeding 3 weeks, especially if you have negative feelings trying to search for justifications for them, the death of a dear person may turn your life upside down, and when it increases Feelings of sadness and unwillingness to live for several weeks prevent you from practicing your normal life, recalling memories, and the inability to communicate with others, so this means that you are on the threshold of depression.
Read these warning signs to see if it is time to see a mental health professional
Depressed people may go through states of excessive happiness and think that they have got rid of the disorder (pixels)
A desperate look at things
Major depression is a mood disorder that affects the way you feel about life in general.
Having a hopeless or helpless view of your life is the most common symptom of depression.
It may also include other emotions such as worthlessness, self-loathing, or inappropriate feelings of guilt, such as repeating the words "It's all my fault, what's the point?"
Loss of interest
Depression can take away pleasure or the enjoyment of the things you love.
Loss of interest or withdrawal from activities that you once looked forward to: sports, hobbies, or hanging out with friends is another telltale sign of major depression.
Another area where you might lose interest is a very low sexual desire or even impotence.
Fatigue and sleep problems
Part of the reason you stop doing the things you enjoy is because you feel so tired.
Depression is often accompanied by a lack of energy and a feeling of exhaustion, which can lead to excessive sleep.
Depression is also associated with insomnia, as it can lead to one another, and vice versa.
Lack of restful sleep may also lead to insomnia.
Anxiety
Depression has not been shown to cause anxiety, and the two conditions often occur together.
Symptoms of anxiety can include the following: nervousness, restlessness, or feeling nervous, feelings of danger, panic or dread, a fast heart rate with rapid breathing, heavy sweating or muscle twitching, accompanied by trouble concentrating or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing that worries you.
Extreme behaviors
Depression can affect the sexes differently.
But research shows that men with depression may experience symptoms such as risky behavior, drug abuse, or misplaced anger.
They are also less likely than women to recognize symptoms of depression or seek treatment for it.
Depression is associated with a disorder of appetite and weight (Getty Images)
Appetite disturbance
Depression is associated with a loss of appetite and weight.
This experience may be different for each person.
Some people have an increased appetite and gain weight, while others will not feel hungry and lose weight amazingly.
Disturbed eating habits is one of the main indicators of depression.
Inability to control emotions
A person with depression becomes more sensitive in the simplest situations. He may suffer a violent outburst of misplaced anger or cry severely over a situation that is not worth crying, and he may never be affected by a situation that everyone cries as if he raises the slogan "I do not care about you" or considers the influence of those around him to be a kind of humanitarian situation Exaggeration or hypocrisy.
Suicidal tendencies
Depression may be associated with a close view of death, so the depressed wants to reach the final stage, either because he does not feel the concern of those around him or the unwillingness to complete his life or the feeling of its insignificance, and sometimes death is associated with being the tunnel that will bring him closer to loved ones who have lost them.
The most important thing is that a depressed person usually does not announce his desire to die except when he decides and studies the idea of ending life, that is, in the most dangerous stage, so these feelings should not be underestimated at all if someone announced them.
In 2013, more than 42,000 people died from suicide in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Finally, specialists warn against treating depression as a mood that will disappear on its own.
On the contrary: Depression is a disease that needs immediate specialist intervention to choose the appropriate treatment to protect the person from other unexpected complications.
Depression will not go away by practicing some daily behaviors without supervision or control, especially since the depressed goes through states of excessive happiness at times, and he may think at that time that he has got rid of the disorder, but it is followed by intense sadness that deludes him that he will not get out of the circle of depression, and assures him that his life is worthless. Before reaching this condition, you must contact a psychotherapist.