"The Face Of Depression"
Depression doesn’t always look depressed.
We’ve all seen them. The commercials for depression medications that depict someone feeling sad, lethargic, fatigued, generally uninterested in normal activities, and potentially suicidal. It’s a very tidy and logical portrayal. Whether or not you have personally known anyone who has suffered from depression, you see such information and naturally believe you could never miss the signs – in yourself or someone else. 
But what if depression doesn’t always look so obvious? Research is starting to more often highlight what has been dubbed high-functioning depression. Sherry Amatenstein noted that “high-functioning depression, or dysthymia, may be harder to detect than major depressive disorder (MDD) because the people living with it are often high achievers who make you think everything is all right all the time”.
A person coping with high-functioning depression looks nothing like what the commercials for depression drugs show. In fact, they’re a veritable walking contradiction. Their faces betray what is really happening inside them.
According to the American Journal of Managed Care, “an estimated 19 million americans suffer from depression” and “early detection, intervention, and appropriate treatment can promote remission, prevent relapse, and reduce the emotional and financial burden of the disease”. Don’t be fooled into thinking that just because your depression isn’t paralyzing that it doesn’t require attention or treatment. Get help.
Depression comes in different forms and can develop under different circumstances. It can affect how you feel, think, sleep, eat, and handle daily activities. It can also be treated.
Unfortunately too many people are ashamed to ask for help, or they wait until it is so severe that it becomes difficult to recover from. Depression, much like an infection, can creep in and start to grow until it is debilitating. No one feels ashamed to ask for antiseptic spray or medicine to stop an infection and they should not feel ashamed to do the same for depression. After all, we have about as much control at preventing one as we do the other and both can overtake us without much warning.
Some signs that you might be experiencing depression are:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
- Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
- Memory difficulties or personality changes
- Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or loss of interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication
- Often wanting to stay at home, rather than going out to socialize or doing new things
If you are experiencing signs of depression, even minor ones, seek help before it grows into something bigger.
About this Blog:
At Resolve Mental Health we are committed to addressing the stigma of getting help for mental health concerns. One of the ways we are approaching this issue is by highlighting the stories of real people who are journeying toward mental wellness. If you or someone you know is on this familiar and difficult road, please know that you are not alone. Our aim is for these stories to help you feel understood and connected to others who are traveling with you.
If you have a story about mental health that you would like to share, please email it to admin@resolvementalhealth.com with the subject line “Mile in My Shoes.”
