Depression effects millions of people in the United States; statistics show that nearly 15 million people suffer from this disease and over 3 million of those people experience continuous, persistent episodes of depression.  

Continuous, persistent episodes of depression is defined as depression lasting over two years that does not go away by itself or reoccurs continually.  If you suffer from depression, statistics show that you are not alone.

Freedom Within has put together a special blog series on depression, continue reading to find out if you suffer from depression and what you can do to seek help.

Someone with depression might not know that they have it; they may not understand the symptoms, be in denial or convincing themselves they are not feeling depressed, lonely or sad.  

It’s important to recognize that there is a difference between feeling sad and feeling depressed.  

There are a several symptoms or signs that you can look for that will help you better understand whether what you are dealing with his depression or not.  Typically, these symptoms do not occur for a few days, but rather continue for weeks or even months at a time. They can interfere and cause disruption in your daily life as well.

Exhaustion, fatigue and a change in your sleep habits can be a sign of depression.  If you find yourself having difficulty sleeping or spending all day in bed exhausted, this could be a sign of something more serious than just feeling temporarily sad.  

Losing interest in things in which you once found great enjoyment could also be a sign of depression.  For example, watching sports, participating in your favorite hobbies, doing activities with friends, traveling, etc.  This can also lead to isolation from others which tends to further perpetuate the depression.

Another sign of depression could be changes in your eating habits and appetite.  Weight loss, not having the same appetite as before, or weight gain and over eating are also signs of depression.  Many times, we find comfort in eating and a large swing in weight can be a sign of depression. Other times we may find that we have lost our appetite completely and it becomes hard to get nutrients in our body.

Finally, a few other signs of depression can be frequent thoughts of suicide or death.  If you are having suicidal thoughts seek a counselor immediately to discuss what you are feeling.  While the other symptoms above are also serious, they can take time to recognize or manifest. However, if you are having thoughts to harm yourself, or thoughts about death, etc. this should be dealt with immediately.

Not everyone will have these signs or symptoms, and there can be other indicators as well.  It is important to understand that you are not alone and there are resources available to help you handle your depression and feelings.  You don’t have to feel like this forever, therapy can help you. Feel free to contact Freedom Within to discuss any of the above issues and check back for our future series of blog posts on depression.