Are you worried that a loved one is suffering from depression or anxiety? You don’t have to be sure of it, but it is good to be concerned. You are not sure whether your loved one is suffering from these conditions because their signs and symptoms are somewhat challenging to read. Following is an overview of five sure signs to look out for:
Feeling of Hopelessness
Depression is usually triggered by a bleak outlook of life, generally after a saddening event or due to a build-up of negative thoughts and emotions. At its breaking point, the patient sees no possible solution to the underlying condition and is helplessly hopeless. There are several ways to tell whether a person is hopeless. The feeling will sometimes reflect on the person’s face in the form of a sad look. The person will also express it in words, albeit indirectly and unconsciously. Phrases such as “it’s no use trying” or “it won’t change anything” are subtle tell-tale signs of how the person feels. The feeling of hopelessness may also be combined with other negative emotions, such as self-hate and worthlessness. The patients also usually tend to blame themselves for their predicaments.
Runaway Emotions
As mentioned, people suffering from depression and anxiety prefer keeping to themselves. They are critical about anything that they consider a bother, and they tend to express their distaste through extreme runaway emotions, including anger and irritation. It may also coincide with a range of other feelings, including feeling vulnerable to danger. This, in turn, results in a variety of physical symptoms, including rapid breathing, trembling, sweating, twitching muscles, and rapid heart rate. These emotions and feelings are dangerous as they can make the patients drastic actions, including taking their own lives. As such, experts recommend seeking help as soon as possible, so consider researching anxiety therapy in Bay Area or your particular locale.
Changes in Appetite & Diet
Loss of appetite is one of the common signs of depression and anxiety. It coincides with the loss of interest and an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. The patients usually don’t feel like eating much, and when they do, it is often just enough to quell their hunger pangs. They may also change their earlier preferred diets – most patients usually do away with observing eating habits and prefer snacks. Loss of appetite is not always the case in every patient of depression or anxiety. Some people turn to food as a source of comfort and tend to overeat. You will always spot them with a snack or a drink. Changes in appetite also coincide with weight changes. The patient may gain or lose weight, depending on how their appetite changes.
Loss of Interest
Hopeless usually coincides with a lack of interest in everyday activities. In their minds, the victims are generally wondering what the point of going about life as usual is. This manifests itself in the form of a lack of interest in things that they once did voluntarily and happily. Lack of interest will first impact the patient’s social life. He/she will not want to talk or socialize as they once did and will tend to keep to themselves most of the time. The patient’s work will also be impacted. They will start calling in sick more often than before, show up late repeatedly, and be unproductive at the office. P.S. Loss of energy (which also coincides with a feeling of constant fatigue) is also one of the signs of depression. It may also be to blame for the patients’ reduced participation in everyday activities.
Changes in Sleeping Patterns
As mentioned, constant fatigue is one of the symptoms of depression and anxiety. This tends to affect the patient’s sleeping patterns in either one of two ways: lack of sleep (insomnia) or oversleeping. Insomnia is usually more common than oversleeping, as the patient will lay awake for prolonged hours at night, pondering over his/her problems. These changes in sleeping conditions may also coincide with nightmares and night terrors.
Don’t Ignore It!
Depression and anxiety usually go ignored until it is too late. As such, be keen on studying your loved one and get professional help as soon as possible. Your love and personal support will also go a long way in seeing them through this dark period.
