Jennifer Beall, LCPC, LCADC
When you think of depression, what comes to mind? Some people say they’re depressed when what they actually mean is that they’re really unhappy. On the other end of the spectrum, many people assume that if they’re able to get out of bed in the morning, they must not be depressed.
Depression comes in many forms, some more obvious than others. If the thought of getting out of bed, let alone showering, getting dressed, and doing your usual daily activities, is too exhausting to even contemplate, it’s not hard to guess that you’re probably depressed. But if it’s less extreme than that, or if it only happens in certain situations, it can be easier to miss.
And, just to confuse matters further, there can be a lot of overlap between depression and anxiety, so it’s not always clear whether you’re experiencing one or the other or both.
Depression doesn’t generally come on suddenly and hit you like a ton of bricks. It’s more likely to sneak up on you gradually, which means that you might miss the signs. In fact, the nature of depression can make it hard for you to identify it, so sometimes other people figure it out before you do.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), the symptoms of depression (in addition to depressed mood) include changes in appetite or sleep, decreased energy, low self-esteem, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and feeling hopeless.
Probably the best-known forms of depression are major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder (or dysthymia). The criteria for major depressive disorder specify that an episode must last at least two weeks. The symptoms of dysthymia aren’t as extreme as those of major depressive disorder, but they last longer: a minimum of two years for adults, or one year for children and adolescents.
Dysthymia can easily be misidentified as just being someone’s personality, especially given the fact that it lasts such a long time. If someone has been unhappy for as long as they can remember, does it occur to them or others that things could change for the better, or do people just assume that they’re an Eeyore type of person and will be that way forever?
Some types of depression are more extreme versions of what other people may experience in similar situations. An example is what is generally called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD most commonly shows up in the winter, although some people experience it during the summer. Given that a lot of people dislike the shorter winter days and might slow down and feel less cheerful, it can be difficult to know when it crosses over into depression.
Other situational forms of depression, like PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and PPD (post-partum depression) are related to hormonal changes. Again, these are more extreme versions of what other people may experience under the same circumstances, so identifying them as depression can be tricky.
The severity of symptoms is the criterion that is used to determine whether clinical depression is present; symptoms need to significantly interfere with someone’s personal or professional life to qualify for a depression diagnosis.
One of the worst things about depression is that it makes it hard to imagine things getting better. Another is that many of the things that help to lessen the symptoms, like exercise, socializing with others, and spending time in nature, require a level of energy and motivation that can be hard to come by if you’re experiencing depression.
This is why support from others is so important. If you’re feeling depressed, someone else can hold the belief that you can get better, even when it seems impossible to you. If you need help getting out of the pit of depression, the first step can be relatively small, like filling out a contact form. You can also book a free 15-minute phone consultation with me or call or text me at 410-888-0590. You deserve to feel better, and I would love to help you to do so.