7 Signs You Might Be Depressed And Not Even Know It

The stereotypical signs of depression are easily recognizable by most people; the inability to get out of bed, not feeling like you are worth much, feelings of dread and continuous isolation are just few signs that make people pause for a minute and start asking questions. But these obvious cues only scratch the surface of such a complex, widespread problem.

Mental illness impacts one in eight American women, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness but sadly 50 percent of all persons living with this illness go untreated. These could be due to many reasons but sometimes, the fact is that the signs go unnoticed. For most people, depressed just isn’t a word they want to use to describe themselves and so, even though they are going through stressful situations and depressing periods of their lives, they trudge on through. They are quite surprised when people tell them they are depressed. So if not all signs are instantly recognizable, what are some ones that aren’t? Here, we share with you a list of 7 unexpected depression symptoms in women.

1. You regularly lose your temper.


Losing your temper in itself is not really cause for concern, but if you find yourself constantly snapping at everyone around you, then something may be wrong. Overt irritability, anger and uncharacteristic agitation are just a few signs that a person may be depressed and this applies to both adults and children.

2. You’ve started waking up super early.


While people who are depressed often sleep alot, you may find that you are doing the complete opposite and that your wake-up time has somehow shifted forward. Women who are depressed may start to wake up in the wee hours of the morning all of a sudden with the inability to go back to bed. This may be a sign that you are depressed.

3. Your hobbies just aren’t fun anymore.


Now we all go through the motions at some point in our lives where we pick up a new hobby and before two weeks are gone, we have dropped it like hot cakes. We aren’t referring to this instance. However, if there is something that you have loved doing for sometime but sudden it just doesn’t give you pleasure anymore, then chances are you are looking depression in the eye. What is even harder is that, you can’t even get yourself out of the funk because the one thing that would have helped you feel better, just doesn’t anymore. You have lost your motivation, your interest and your enjoyment.

4. You’re glued to social media.

Now this one is a bit tricky as most people I know spend quite a bit of time on social media. It has become so ingrained in our lives. However, if you have found yourself more addicted to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram more than usual, then this could be a cause for concern. Experts suggest that this increased interest stems from the need to distract yourself from the real root of your problems. Additionally, activity of social media can act as a drug giving  you a dose of adrenaline whenever you get a message or a like. Unfortunately, they high you get is short-lived.

5. Your lower back hurts like crazy.

There is a belief among experts that depression can cause your nerves to  become extra sensitive so chances are ifyou are suffers from bouts of depression then it may be accompanied by lower back pain. Sadly, the worse your depression, the worse your pain; and as this pain begins to after your quality of life, it can easily worsen your depression.

6. Your weight is all over the place.

Increase or loss of appetite seem to go hand in hand with depression. Some people go off food and begin to lose weight. The less food you eat, the less energy you have. Other people self-worth by snacking on sugary foods or foods high in fat, such as chocolate or potato chips. Overindulgence and sudden weight gain can leave an individual feeling terrible about themselves which in turn may result in low self-esteem, creating an endless cycle.

7. You are suddenly the most indecisive person ever.

I don’t know about you but I don’t need to be depressed to be indecisive; that’s a given especially when it comes to food. However, this is actually a major symptom of depression in women. If you experience sudden or increasing indecisiveness, it is quite possible that you may be depressed. You may be feeling hopeless or expecting the worse possible outcome from the choices you make and that could play a role. To add fire to the flame, chances are that if you are depressed, your decision-making may be a bit flawed as depressed people tend to make quite bad decisions, for example alcohol, skipping work or risky sex.

Mental illness and depression is a big deal. We don’t always recognize the symptoms in ourselves or in others but if you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, try talking to someone. A fresh pair of eyes and ears may be just the thing you need to identify you problem. Don’t keep your issues bottled up. Seek help!