It’s normal for us to feel sad from time to time, but when loneliness, despair, or hopelessness won’t just go away, you may be depressed.

Just because you are sad doesn’t mean you are going through depression. Depression is more than just feeling sad after a heartbreak or feeling overwhelmed with life’s setbacks and struggles. It affects the way you feel, think, respond, and function in your everyday life. Basically, it interferes with your sleep, work, daily activities, and overall quality of life.

Depressed people may feel empty, apathetic, or lifeless. For some, they can feel like totally living in a black hole. Feeling angry and restless is also not uncommon.

The first step toward healing and recovery is determining if that persistent and unshakable dark emotions you are feeling are a result of depression.

In this article, we will talk about the signs of depression and what to do when you are depressed. Yes, there are specific signs that determine whether you are going through depression or just the normal sadness. This may help you see if it’s time for you to speak with a mental health professional.

1. Lost interest

Major depression can take away your interest of the things you used to love—may it be hobbies, sports, going out with friends, or even sex.  Major depression symptoms can include declined sex drive and even impotence.

2. Hopeless outlook

A mood disorder affecting the way you feel about life in general, major depression can cause you to have a hopeless or helpless outlook in life. It is actually one of the most common depression symptoms.

Other feelings may include inappropriate guilt, worthlessness, or self-hate.

3. Anxiety

Sometimes depression and anxiety can occur together although the former hasn’t been shown to cause anxiety.

Anxiety symptoms can include rapid heart rate; rapid breathing; increased or heavy sweating; feelings of panic, danger, or dread; restlessness, nervousness, or feeling tense; or trembling or muscle twitching.

4. Uncontrollable emotions

When you’re depressed, you’re more prone to mood swings. One moment you are extremely angry, the next you are crying irrepressibly. Your emotions are up and down at the drop of a hat. It’s also not uncommon for those going through depression.

5. Irritability

Depression can cause irritability as well. You become impatient, frustrated, and irritable with most aspects of your life. It just feels like everything is getting on your nerves.

This is because depressed people tend to interpret any information they received in a negative way.

6. Increased sleep problems and fatigue

Depression is often associated with an overwhelming feeling of fatigue or lack of energy, which can be one of the most devastating depression symptoms that can usually cause you to oversleep.

This mood disorder is also linked with insomnia, which can also lead to anxiety due to lack of quality, restful sleep.

It can cause you to feel tired, and that’s also part of the reason you might lose interest in doing things you usually loved.

7. Changes in weight as well as appetite

Although the experience may be different for every person, most people with depression can have a shifting weight and appetite. Some won’t feel hungry and eventually lose weight, while some will have an increased appetite and eventually result in weight gain.

Dietary changes that are not intentional indicate that they may be caused by depression.

Depression causes death

Some people with depression may commit suicide. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, > 42, 000 people died from suicide in the USA in 2013.

Usually, people who committed suicide showed some signs first: it’s either they will make a first attempt before succeeding in ending their life or they will talk about it.

If you feel like someone is at risk of hurting another person or even herself/himself, you can do any of the following:

• Contact your local emergency number.
• Don’t leave that person until help arrives.
• Keep away items that may cause harm, including knives, guns, and medications.
• Just sit beside that person and listen. You don’t need to say anything.

If you feel like someone is entertaining the idea of suicide, seek help from a suicide prevention hotline.

Getting help

If you are experiencing any of the abovementioned symptoms for longer periods, you might just be depressed.

To get the right help, it is important that you are aware whether or not you are depressed.

Millions of people are affected by depression, and there are a lot of treatments available, including medications and lifestyle changes. But asking for professional help may be the first step to healing and recovery, regardless of the treatment option you choose to take.

When depression is left unmanaged, it can lead to a serious health condition. It is important to note that feelings of hopelessness and helplessness are not the reality of your situation; they are symptoms of depression.