What do people think are the signs and symptoms of depression?

I’ve been reading that thread about the pilot who appears to have crashed the plane the other day. In that thread there is the beginnings of a separate debate on depression.

This led to me wondering what people think are the signs and symptoms of depression.

So what do you think are the signs and symptoms of depression?

avoiding social interaction / not leaving the house.
Lethargy.
Indifferent and disinterested in stuff.

For me it was a lack of interest in work, short tempered at home, my personal hygiene slipped a little, stopped riding my bike (something I’ve struggled to get back into since), stomach problems, aggravated migraines, insomnia and general lack of get up and go.

I have finally admitted to myself last week that I am suffering. IMO:

Feelings of being useless and an annoyance to people.
Feeling that some people close to you would be better off without you.
Crying a lot for no reason.
Losing sense of humour.
Getting tired due to lack of sleep.

Mine has been triggered by being injured for the last 8 odd months, being mostly in either mild pain or discomfort and not being able to do all the things I need to and want to. Although this is getting better.

Crying a lot for no reason.

Forgot that one, it happened more once I admitted I had a problem.

Yip – those are the most commonly known ones – but what are the ones that fewer people know about?

Not a doctor but I guess it’s different for everyone. But to name a few: withdrawal, lack of energy, insomnia, sense of worthlessness, sense of detachment from those around you, lack of confidence, negativity, apathy, mood swings etc…

Perhaps the most interesting factor is that some sufferers seem to be able to hide it from others and live otherwise normal lives.

as above. actively or passively avoiding interaction (though that’s not necessarily a marker for depression).
procrastination. lack of self esteem. avoiding activities that would be usual (e.g. going for a spin)

fading levels of fitness. lethargy. possible resort to alcohol or similar. disturbed sleep patterns. irritability.

I think insomnia is the first symptom and often the last to go as well. I remember starting SSRIs and being able to actually sleep for 7 hours, it was a complete revelation after only getting 1-3 hours a night at best.

Disassociation from everything you once though of as normal.
Family, friends, work, hobbies, hygiene and so on.
Feelings of hopelessness, Inadequacy, and generally feeling shit all the time.

Perhaps I should be asking – what tends to accompany depression?

Following a bereavement, most of the symptoms listed above sound familiar to me. Given the trigger I haven’t seen them as a particular problem rather than a fairly natural reaction to the loss and a part of the grieving process.

Does that sound reasonable or am I kidding myself?

How long do you let these sort of emotions persist before you think of it as a problem and not something that will pass?

I went to the docs a couple of months back after my sister posted a link to PMDD symptoms she suffered from. PMDD being a female thing, but I found myself affected by almost all of them:

Feelings of sadness or despair, or even thoughts of suicide
Feelings of tension or anxiety
Panic attacks
Mood swings or frequent crying
Lasting irritability or anger that affects other people
Lack of interest in daily activities and relationships
Trouble thinking or focusing
Tiredness or low energy
Food cravings or binge eating
Trouble sleeping
Feeling out of control
Physical symptoms, such as bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, and joint or muscle pain

The doctor said this is depression, which I kind of knew but also it comes and goes so I know it will go as much as I know its round the corner.

Today was my follow up appointment. Today I feel fine. I attribute the symptoms largely to work stress / discontentment. For me the problem is that exercise helps, but has a black lining in that it often tips me into depression post-workout. Its a very fine line – I would love to do more exercise like I see pals doing, but it grinds me down mentally and physically if I go as far.

Its tricky. So many factors at play.

I think another factor is being too self-critical. A mate of mine who did a psychology degree pretty much psycho-analysed himself into depression (there were some other factors too, but he says this was the main cause). It was very scary, he went from being a confident, funny, carefree bloke into this withdrawn, nervous, shell of a person. Took him years, and some quite heavy duty drugs and counselling to recover.

signs and symptoms in myself im pretty good at recognising.

in others, so much harder. obvious signs in one person are nothing of the sort when exhibited by another.

possible feelings – especially if someone is already meticulous – is of being paralysed by indecision – maybe not indecision but unwilling to start on a course or work (or play) if there is a hint it might not be right..

I’ve had to cut down on watching the news, which has helped.

Things you loved fading, and you don’t know why.

Indecision is a good one. Man, I remember the feeling when I actually made a big decision, it was like turning the lights back on- I am not powerless. I mean, it didn’t even matter if it was a good decision.

That’s probably actually my biggest issue, kcal, though I recognise most of the others mentioned.

I’ve learned something from this thread, things I thought perfectly normal indicate I’m a manic depressive. What should I do now?

You could go and educate yourself and stop being an idiot.

Me, or those with their simplistic tick lists?

Are you going to contribute anything positive to this thread, or are you just going to pull your usual crap and try to turn it to shit?

I also reckon the knock-on effect of indecision inertia is that things pile on — so you spend the time making lists of to-do tasks – but are unable to get through them – or are to tired to do so – with the result you have this log-jam of things to do, no time to get out for a head clearing walk, spin or whatever. ..

From personal experience you may never notice any symptoms of a work colleague, such as in the case of that poor pilot.

Unless you know they’re going straight in from work and going to bed/curling up in a ball often peoplle will expend all the energy they can summon to appear normal during work, whiich obviously has a two-fold effect of not telling anyone/managers so they can cater for it, and burns you up even quicker.

I have zero sympathy for the “poor pilot”. If the theory that he deliberately crashed the plane is true, then he has committed an act of mass murder.

Perhaps I should be asking – what tends to accompany depression?

Drinkies? Irresponsible spending?

I have zero sympathy for the “poor pilot”

Different thread. Keep the mob rule and pitchforks on the air crash thread I reckon. This one’s talking about depression, it’s symptoms and how to identify it.

Fair enough chap, I hope that made you feel better.

I’m really on the edge right now, and coming to terms with having a rather serious set of problems.

Almost all of these are currently familiar to me…. and it’s crept up without me noticing.

Anyway, not trying to detail the thread, just trying to understand myself.

Mental health is difficult to self quantify, unlike physical health. I knew I had infected finger for some time, though it’s only a little part of me. Meanwhile my mind has been seriously unwell for some time, and I hardly knew.

Perhaps I should be asking – what tends to accompany depression?

can you tell us please?

My positive point is that I don’t think a simplistic tick list of “signs and symptoms of depression” will help prevent a repeat of the German Wings crash but may well produce a long list of “depression suspects” which would do more harm than good.

I seem to remember someone on here quoted a quarter of the population having some kind of mental health issues. The vast majority of them manage their issues and continue to contribute positively to society. As I am to this thread if you could but see it.

Tbh after my visit to the doctors last week, I’ve no idea.

I went with a list of minor niggling issues i’ve been having over a long period of time. He diagnosed me, to my utter suprise, with anxiety issues. I’ve basically too much adrenaline flowing through my system.

I was quite taken aback tbh, as I never thought in a million year that that would be a problem i’d have(most people comment that I’m that laid back as to be almost horizontal). (I’m actually hoping this gear helps me with my debilitating fear of heights too, I think it will. 🙂 )

Anyhow, he stuck me on Propranolol(a beta blocker, that will help with elevated blood pressure too) and since last week, I’ve been having the best sleep i’ve had in a long time, plus there’s a certain background irritation that’s gone now, that I didn’t even know was there.

So, tbh I’ve no idea, I’ll leave that to the professionals.

Edukator – nobody is trying to put together a “simple tick list”. As for things that will help prevent a repeat of the Germanwings situation – they’ve already been put in place by the relevant bodies.

Looking forwards to sleep (as in from the moment you wake up)

inability to deal with things – an I’ll do it tomorrow attitude, extended to everything incl personal hygiene.

feeling worthless / helpless / a burden*

*often leading to thoughts of suicide.

a lot of people who sufer from depression are able to mask the facts, to their freinds and family, its outsiders that notice something may be amiss and like on this forum, we sometimes find it easierer to talk or write about our feeling to strangers, and usually those strangers offer good advice and help along with details of their own problems.

At the curent time know 3 freinds who are suffering from Depression 2 with manic episodes where they spend foolishly, one has bought a very expensive bike which he doesnt ride because hes lost intrest.

Propranolol

very effective stuff but takes the zing out of things a bit, never feeling adrenaline. don’t think I’d want to take it regularly but certainly helps for specific applications.

All of the above plus a tendency to reflect too much on bad things that happened in the past.

Most of the stress I suffer turns out in the end to have been unnecessary and completely self-imposed.

Medical secrecy laws are still very much in place throughout Europe.

Mitterrand, Kennedy and a long list of world leaders lied through their teeth about the state of their health and had the ability to wipe out half of mankind.

What is the price of confidentiality?

Start your own thread if you want to go down that route. This is not the place for it.