4 Signs You’re Depressed… Do You *Know* If You Are?
If you’re like a lot of people who struggle with depression, it feels impossible to explain.
You might think because no one’s ever had your exact experience, that means you’re alone. Or since no one can be inside your head to fully understand what’s going on, maybe you feel different from everyone else.
Here’s my big question…
When it comes to the worst pain many people face in life—the abyss of depression—why do so many of us approach the struggle without the right support and hoping for change to happen on its own?
Why do we seem to avoid asking ourselves the question:
“Am I depressed and can I do something about it?”
Does it ever seem like you’re beyond help (even though you feel like you’re carrying a 100 pound weight)?
You might feel like there’s nothing you can do but feel lonely. It could require too much energy to fight it all the time. Maybe there’s even a little comfort in being sad although it’s not enjoyable.
Before you can recover from and then manage depression, everything—from what you think about yourself, to how you feel about things like failure, to how you communicate—needs to be mapped out and strategized for.
That starts with understanding how depression blocks you specifically, and it can continue in depression treatment. Because as long as your specific experience of depression that’s unique to you isn’t mapped out and strategized for, it needs to be described… even talked through… before you can actually move toward changes in your mood or less depressive thoughts, even if it’s only temporary.
First, here’s an official take from psychologists about what depression is, with all its clinical criteria:
(Signs and Symptoms of Depression).
And second, like I said… I know you might feel like no one understands your depression and it’s impossible to explain it to someone if they’ve never personally experienced it. So here are 4 signs you can look for in yourself before facing another day wondering about depression on your own…
Sign #1: Your Self-Concept Is Negative
No matter what your history with depression is, I don’t need to be psychic to know you’ve taken some real damage before… and that this damage still affects you today.
Maybe it’s the way you look at the world. Perhaps you’ve got negative ideas or beliefs about yourself. Whatever it is, life took a wrong turn, and now you see things differently and sometimes you struggle.
It could seem like things that happen today confirm or support these ideas… which makes it more likely for your disappointment and hurt to keep coming back again. You might feel like it’s guaranteed that challenges and problems will come up out of nowhere… and maybe you’re worried about failing.
But if you’re ready to explore how to repair this situation now, then you’re ready for depression treatment. You’ll heal by finding a new, fresh way to look at your distressing experience, from limiting beliefs to the things that trigger you.
If you’ve ever been curious about therapy for depression, then take a minute and reflect. You’ll need to get a handle on this stuff before you can move away from depression.
Sign #2: You Only See Negative Information
It can happen once, twice, even several times per day, but it’s part of the overall cycle… the thought eventually comes up, even if just for a second…
“When will things get better?”
In fact, you’re probably sure things keep getting worse.
So be ready for this. Have the expectation these things are probably coming, and be prepared. Have a plan to deal with the strong sense of loss that can come over you at any time… or with those problems in the outside world that overwhelm you.
I understand you must have valid reasons for why you feel the way you do… otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this situation.
But it’s also possible you come down on yourself from the perspective of your depression. You might feel wrong when you feel good, for example. Or you might be convinced you’ll ruin anything you try.
If you work on depression counseling with me, you’ll learn how bad situations and depression can aggravate each other for you. Then, if they become a problem in the present, you’ll know what to do to cope.
Sign #3: You Blame Yourself For Not Getting Things Done
I know it’s hard to move forward when forward seems worse than now. That’s why, especially when it comes to activities you could do easily before, you need to give yourself enough compassion to stay “present” while you do them.
Or if you need to do things to pass the time because otherwise you feel anxious you might not be able to avoid how you’re feeling and thinking, then you might be ready for depression treatment.
You can work in depression therapy on how to break apart what you need to do into small steps. Maybe you can figure out how to take one problem at a time instead of trying to tackle everything at once. That way, you’ll have a better shot at avoiding the vicious cycle and you’ll be more likely to function effectively when you need to do so.
Which brings me to one of the most typical signs you’re ready for depression therapy…
Sign #4: Your Depressed Thoughts Are Automatic
It could be you were fine only 2 hours ago but then you have a troubling thought about the future… and you get overwhelmed. Or maybe you have a negative social interaction with someone… and you instantly feel something is wrong.
It’s like a reflex… if something bad happens, you’re likely to need help…
Even worse, maybe when you try to face the experience, your feelings are likely to “snowball”… it just keeps going and going without you being able to stop it.
If you’re someone who really wants to switch your brain off from overthinking and beating yourself up, then you might be ready for depression therapy.
Perhaps you think things like, “It’s my fault when bad things happen.” Maybe next time you can try taking a deep breath, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the thought. Then see if you can figure out what the deeper feeling or thought is without becoming more upset, frustrated, or shut down… which only distracts you more. What’s underneath that?
Maybe you’ll realize you think bad things are your fault because, for example, underneath that you believe if you’re “nice” or “smart” or “good enough,” you’ll avoid bad things happening.
Then, with the guidance of depression therapy, you’ll keep getting better at figuring these things out… until one day you’ll find yourself learning how to manage your depression.
That’s why I recommend you contact me for a free 15-minute consultation… because depression counseling is the best way to make sure you’re treating your experience with depression, all served to you in a step-by-step, easy format.
Give it a try—at no risk to you—by reaching out to me. Please don’t suffer in silence.
Find out more about Depression Treatment.
About The Author
John Younes, JD, MA, LPCC, NCC is a trained counselor who owns a private practice in Denver, CO. In general, he specializes in depression treatment using existential and cognitive therapy practices.
One last thing: if you’re thinking about suicide and are in immediate danger, please call your local emergency number… so for Denver, Colorado, call 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.