People think the telltale sign of Depression is sadness – a consistent feeling of remorse and solitude. But Depression can manifest as something entirely different. It can cause physical aches, pain and sometimes, memory loss too.
Depression can mask itself with some “unusual” symptoms which can delay precise diagnoses. It’s as Dr Anne Fabiny, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School puts it, “Sometimes it’s hard to diagnose depression … because patients don’t come in and say, ‘I’m depressed.’”
Here are 7 ‘unusual’ signs of Depression which are less talked about:
1. Perfectionism:
According to studies, Depression and perfectionism can be interrelated. “Perfectionism in depression tends to belie the idea that others will only love and accept someone if they’re perfect,” says psychologist and author of When Depression Hurts Your Relationship, Shannon Kolakowski. Perfectionists look at mistakes as a sign of personal defect which may lead to self-blame and negativity.
2. Unable to see “Happy Faces”:
“Debbie Downer” is joked about but there is more to it than it appears. It is when you only look for negative elements in a situation, ignoring any positivity. Psychologist Suzanne Roff-Wexler says that if we carefully observe, a person with depression avoids happy faces or situation but is ‘comfortable’ with its opposite.
3. Change in the atmosphere:
“Toggling” or a change in atmosphere can lift Depression for a little while. But the Depression will return once you engage in the new event. According to Roff-Wexler, “an interesting ‘symptom’ of depression that may not be well known is that the depression is real and does not go away with a positive experience but it seems briefly alleviated, later to return.”
4. More philosophical conversations:
People battling depression tend to divert conversations to philosophical topics. The topics may include the meaning of life or the accomplishments so far. They may not indulge in such conversations otherwise. These topics may be a sign of internal struggle with darker thoughts which they may want to hide.
5. The intense feeling of emotions:
Depression can make you feel emotions more intensely. People who don’t usually cry while watching movies may suddenly break out in tears at irrelevant scenes. Or a person who is usually not expressive may share how much they love you. These could be due to the boxed up depressive feelings.
6. Sudden change in daily routine:
People with Depression may suddenly change their daily routine with unusual sleeping, eating or drinking habits. The lack of sleep or even oversleeping can be a sign of hidden depression. Overeating can help depressed people feel full which in turn helps them feel less sadness and loneliness. They may also cease engaging in mundane daily activities because they see no purpose in doing them.
7. Self Medication:
Depression may lead to addiction as such people are more likely to binge eat, engage in nicotine or alcohol abuse, and look for other similar dependencies. If you observe someone engaging in substance or behavioural abuse you may want to seek professional help for them.
One of the things that stop a depressed person from seeking help is the judgment that follows their admittance. An admission of mental illness is a cry for help.
If you find the above signs in anybody close to you please seek professional help. You can Talk to Experts at YourDOST who can help you deal with Depression.
