Millions of people across the world are becoming victims of
depression day-by-day. And of course this number is gradually increasing.
Reports quoting, the World Health Organization, suggest that over 350 million
people are diagnosed as the victim of different kinds of depression.
Amazingly, most of those suffering silently do not choose to
seek help out of embarrassment, shame or pride. However, the number of such
people often jumps significantly.
If
we study the behavior, we find that those suffering from such troubles do not
even know that they have a problem, which makes silent depression even more
dangerous.
Surprisingly,
some people do not know how to express their emotions, or how behave in front
of others.
As
such, it would be significant to look out for the people in our lives and watch
for the signs and behaviors that someone is silently depressed.
Studies reveal certain signs denoting someone may be the victim
of simple, multi-level or acute depressions. These are as follows:
Keeping Away from Activities, Studies or Works
Keeping
away or withdrawal from activities is one of the key signs of depression. All
it occurs because, the disorder often takes up all the time and energy of the
individual. Depression makes it very difficult to carry on with daily life,
aside from what is absolutely necessary, because the pain becomes too great.
Those who suffer silently might start dropping one or two activities from their
schedule in hopes that no one will notice. Many who suffer don’t want to admit
they have a problem and don’t want others to know about it.
If
you notice that a loved one is starting to miss out on life, then this is a
sign of silent depression.
Feeling Fatigue or Physical Weakness
No
surprise here – depression zaps a person’s energy levels to the point where
even getting out of bed can seem like running a marathon. The constant,
intrusive thoughts of hopelessness and despair combined with high stress, poor
appetite, and sleep troubles make life a daily battle. A person that suffers
silently from depression might even start withdrawing from friendships and
family life because they have no energy left for them.
Eating too Much or too Little
Increased
or decreased appetite is a common symptom of depression. Gary Kennedy, MD,
director of geriatric psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New
York, says, “A sudden change in weight, either gaining or losing, can be a
warning of depression, especially in someone who has other symptoms of
depression or a history of depression.” If you notice unusual eating habits in
a friend or loved one, they could be suffering silently from depression.
Sleeping Trouble
According
to WebMD, 80% of adults with depression have trouble falling or staying asleep.
Patients who have chronic insomnia have three times the likelihood of
developing depression compared to those without insomnia. Many doctors believe
that treating insomnia will help reduce depressive symptoms in people
suffering. If someone you know complains of sleep problems on a regular basis,
he or she might have depression.
Behavioral
Abuse
Miserably,
Behavioral abuse or Substance abuse is common among those with depression,
anxiety, and other mental disorders. While it’s understandable to want to
escape reality and troubled thoughts for a while, addiction can cause even more
problems down the road. If you know someone abuses drugs or alcohol on a
regular basis, they might be silently depressed.
Replicating or Forging Sentiments
There
are myriads of people with depression that do not want to admit that they are
actually depressed, either to themselves or to others.
In
one company they appear overly happy or give vague answers, while in another
company they appear asking about how others’ life is going. They only engage in
shallow conversation because they want to avoid judgment denoting their mental
conditions or depression. When you notice someone has become distant or only
makes small talk, this might point to hidden depression.
Turning to be Workaholic
One
may or may not believe overworking as a symptom of depression. But there are a
large chunk of people who use to keep himself / herself engaged to cover
emotional imbalances.
They
see work as an excuse to escape how they feel, a distraction for the torment
that their mind causes them. If you notice someone staying late at work most
nights of the week, they might actually be silently depressed and not just a
workaholic.
SOURCES:
HTTP://WWW.WHO.INT/MEDIACENTRE/FACTSHEETS/FS369/EN/
HTTPS://WWW.EVERYDAYHEALTH.COM/HS/MAJOR-DEPRESSION/DEPRESSIONS-EFFECT-ON-APPETITE/
HTTPS://WWW.WEBMD.COM/DEPRESSION/FEATURES/SLEEP-PROBLEMS#1
HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHYPLACE.COM/INSIGHT/QUOTES/DEPRESSION-QUOTES-AND-SAYINGS-ABOUT-DEPRESSION/