Recognising Depression
01 of 07“I just don’t feel joy anymore.”
Depression often creeps in so slowly that you don’t notice it until you’re deep inside it. You might put it down to being tired, stressed or going through a rough patch. Then weeks become months.
How it can feel
- A heaviness or emptiness that won’t lift
- Feeling numb, flat or disconnected, rather than sad
- Losing interest in things you used to love
- Irritability, a short fuse, crying more easily, or not being able to cry at all
- Feeling worthless, guilty or like a burden
- Hopelessness, a sense that nothing will ever change
- A zombie, just on autopilot
How it can show up in your body
- Exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix
- Sleeping much more, or barely sleeping at all
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Being unable to think, or feeling restless and agitated
- Aches, pains and heaviness in your limbs
- Not wanting to move at all
How it can affect your thinking
- Brain fog, trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Finding even small decisions overwhelming
- Reading the same paragraph over and over, or being unable to read
- Feeling like part of your brain has simply stopped working
Functioning on the outside
Some people with depression look completely fine. They meet their deadlines, show up for their families and say “I’m good, thanks” a hundred times a week. Inside, it takes everything they have just to keep the mask on.
Being able to function doesn’t mean you aren’t struggling. It may just mean you’ve become very good at hiding it.
When it gets very dark
Depression can bring thoughts of not wanting to be here, or of ending your life. These thoughts can be frightening, and they can feel very convincing in the moment. They are a sign of how much pain you’re in, not a sign of who you are.
If you’re having these thoughts, please tell someone today. Go to Need help now, or contact a crisis line. You deserve support right now, not when things get worse.
