It is natural to occasionally feel sad, especially when there is a specific reason. However, it isn’t healthy to feel unhappy, hopeless, or distressed more often than not. When these feelings affect your everyday functioning, interfere with your daily activities and relationships, or make just getting through the day feel overwhelming, you may be depressed.

Sadness is notably the most common and familiar symptom. Thus, the term “depression” is often loosely used to describe excessive sadness. However not everyone is overwhelmed by feelings of sadness. If you find you are avoiding people or activities you previously enjoyed, sleeping more or less than usual, or constantly feeling irritable, you may want to consider counseling. A therapist can assess what is going on for you and help you to determine the best plan of action to improve your symptoms.

Recognizing Depressive Symptoms: The Challenge

Obviously, sadness is a hallmark symptom of clinical depression. However, if a person is introverted or is used to being alone, such as some older adults, this symptom can be missed. It is important to know that depression isn’t always as noticeable as outward sadness and frequent crying.

Depression may also look different from one person to another. It is also possible to be happy one day and then be deeply depressed the next. This may cause one to doubt whether it’s really depression, but being depressed doesn’t mean you are never happy. It is important to look for patterns of sadness.

Are You Depressed?

It isn’t uncommon for those with depression to miss signs and symptoms because they can differ widely between individuals. In general, though, persistent and illogical sadness should not be ignored, particularly when it is accompanied by loss of interest in the things that you used to enjoy or when your feelings are interfering with your work, school, relationships and/or social life.

You may not necessarily be feeling sad, but you can still be depressed. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms of depression can have emotional, physical and social symptoms.

These include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
• Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Difficulty sleeping, waking early in the morning, or oversleeping
• Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
• Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment
• Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts

Emotional symptoms may also take the form of feeling “numb” or not feeling anything. You may feel like you are just going through the motions of life. This can result in you feeling distant and disinterested in other people and activities. In an attempt to feel better, you may seek out unhealthy alternatives – alcohol, drugs, or smoking – or keep yourself occupied with something like gambling, shopping, eating, gaming, or long hours on the Internet.

Depression can have physical symptoms too. It can change your appetite, so you eat less or more than usual. It can put a damper on your interest and lower your energy, you may even lose your sex drive or move/talk more slowly than usual. You may also experience sleeplessness and disturbed sleeping patterns, resulting in feeling irritable during waking hours. You could find yourself sleeping more than usual as well. Symptoms of depression can also trigger constipation, unexplained aches and pains, and even affect your menstrual cycle.

Depression can also manifest as social symptoms. By losing interest in so many aspects of your life, you may not perform well in school or at work. You may prefer to be on your own, even avoiding people you love or care for. You may neglect your personal hygiene, as well as interests and hobbies you were once passionate about. This neglect and social withdrawal may lead to further isolation and damaged relationships.

Breaking Free from Depression

Depression is a condition that can leave you feeling extremely and persistently unhappy. You don’t have to keep feeling this way, because depression is treatable. To break free of these feelings and feel hopeful again, you can seek help from a trusted and qualified professional –a counselor independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services – Cameron, NC.

Coming to terms with the idea that you may need to see a therapist might feel scary, but trust that the counselors at Carolina Counseling Services are here to support you. Let one of our independently contracted professionals help you find happiness again. Call CCS-Cameron for your first appointment!

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