DavidWolfe.comDepression affects over 15 million Americans. If it has never affected someone you know, chances are it’s because they’re hiding it. People who suffer from depression tend to withdraw from others. They spend more time alone, experience a change in eating and sleeping habits and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. They also become pro’s at putting on a brave face in front of others. Recognizing the common signs of concealed depression might allow you to help a loved one when they need it the most.
Here are ten habits of people with concealed depression:
1. Losing Interest In Activities
When someone is battling depression, they tend to lose interest in things they once enjoyed. It could be anything from sports or music to their job or social life. Once their depression takes over, they lack all enthusiasm they had for things they once loved.
2. Change In Appetite
Change in appetite can be a sign of depression. It could mean overeating or loss of appetite, leading to weight gain or weight loss. You might only notice after a person’s physical appearance changes, but a friend or a family member who starts eating alone more often may be battling concealed depression.
3. Struggles With Abandonment
People who suffer from depression often feel abandoned. They fall so deep into their own sadness that they feel as though no one understands them. It seems that everyone else is happy and living their life, while they are left to suffer alone.
4. Abnormal Sleeping Habits
Depression can cause insomnia or excessive sleeping. For someone who is depressed, sleep may be an escape from reality. They no longer have the motivation to get out of bed or follow their normal routine. A person who is physically and emotionally drained may be suffering from depression.
5. Lying
In order to keep up the “I’m fine” charade, people who suffer from depression often become pretty good at lying. They make up cover stories as to why their are marks on their body, why they skipped the family dinner or why they were fired. They try to hide what’s really going on.
6. Wanting To Spend Most Of Their Time Alone
People with depression tend to withdraw from others. They stop going out with friends, they stop coming to holiday get-together’s and family functions. A major sign of depression is someone who starts spending most of their time alone, away from others.
7. Attempting To Seem Happy
Someone who is struggling with concealed depression has done a pretty good job at hiding it for a while. They know how to put on a so-called brave face when others are around. They might show up at work every day and go through the motions of a regular routine, while they are secretly struggling inside.
8. Looking At Substances Differently
People who suffer from depression often become pro’s at altering their state of mind, both positively and negatively. They know that caffeine and sugar are stimulants that can help boost their mood, and they might begin to rely on alcohol or medications to help them sleep. Whatever they are feeling, they know that they don’t want to feel it.
9. Searching For A Purpose
People struggling with depression often eel like they have no purpose. They lose all motivation to do anything and the goals they once had seem too far away to reach. Somewhere along their pursuit of happiness and acceptance, depression may creep in. Someone who changes directions often or expresses feelings of inadequacy may be struggling with depression.
10. Subtle Cries For Help
When you realize that someone is depressed, you might look back and remember subtle cries for help that you missed. The moments when they finally decide to reach out are crucial, because they might be fleeting. If you think a friend or loved one may be suffering from depression, pay attention. Pay attention to their words, their actions, their health, and make sure you are there to catch them when they come to you for help.
Sources:
The Hearty Soul
The Huffington Post
Power of Positivity
Anxiety And Depression Association Of America