Depression is a mental disorder that does not discriminate. Women, men, children, and even animals can experience depression, but for the sake of this article, we will explore how depression affects women.
Everyone feels sad from time to time, but clinical depression is much different. It’s a deep and long-lasting sense of overwhelming emotional pain. And while sadness is one of the symptoms, it goes much deeper than that.
Despite depression not discriminating, it does manifest differently in different people. And if you are a woman who is experiencing any of the following signs, you are likely depressed.
1. You are easily agitated.
Many people associate sadness with depression, and completely overlook the anger that can and usually manifests with depression. If small things are setting you off, and you find that you feel snippy with everyone, and you have other symptoms, you are likely dealing with severe depression.
2. You find it difficult to concentrate.
No matter how hard you try, you have a hard time concentrating. Because of this, your work and home life are suffering. Another aspect of this is forgetfulness, which may manifest as forgetting important dates or forgetting entire events.
3. You are experiencing anhedonia.
Anhedonia is a complete loss of pleasure. When you think of doing your favorite activities, you may feel nothing at all. Because of this, you may also lack the motivation to do things that once brought you joy.
4. You are experiencing sudden weight changes.
Depression can also come with sudden and extreme weight changes. Oftentimes, what happens is that when people are severely depressed they either eat much less or they eat much more. In turn, their weight will fluctuate.
5. You constantly feel guilty.
Depression can bring on very complex emotions, including unmerited guilt, shame, or feelings of worthlessness. And if you find that you are constantly experiencing feelings of shame, even when you have done nothing wrong, you are likely depressed.
6. Your sleeping habits have changed.
When we are depressed, our sleeping habits suffer. While some may sleep more and never want to leave the bed, others may find it hard to put their mind to rest. Either way, these erratic sleep tendencies can be devastating to our health.
7. You have had suicidal thoughts.
Depression is a sickness that can ultimately result in death by suicide. For those experiencing depression, it may seem as though there is no way out. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the suicide hotline. I assure you that there is a way out, and I am rooting for you. 1-800-273-8255
8. You feel reckless.
During a bout of extreme depression, we often will try anything to mask our feelings. Unfortunately, for many, this includes reckless behaviors like drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or even erratic driving.
9. You are experiencing physical symptoms of depression.
The physical signs of depression vary, including aches and pains, chronic pain, stomach, and digestive issues, and even skin rashes. If you have the other symptoms of depression and also are plagued by these physical ailments, then depression is the likely culprit.
10. Your energy is zapped.
When you spend much of your time being emotionally overwhelmed, that uses a lot of energy. In turn, those with depression often report feeling like their energy stores have been zapped, and feeling fatigued all the time.