- [Narrator] Hey, Psych2Goers.
Have you ever gone through a period of time
where you just felt so sad and gloomy all the time?
It's normal to get upset, lonely, or depressed
when we face certain life-changing events in our lives.
However, when these symptoms
become persistent and overwhelming
and start to affect your daily routine,
it can start to deter you
from leading a normal, healthy life.
While you may think people with depression
all cry and feel sad all the time,
that's not necessarily the case.
Different people may exhibit different symptoms.
So, to look into the ways depression can manifest itself
in people's behaviors and moods,
here are 10 ways depression appears in us.
But before we begin,
we would like to mention that this video
is created for educational purposes only
and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis.
If you suspect you may have depression
or any mental health condition,
we highly advise you to seek help
from a qualified mental health professional.
Okay, let's begin.
Number one: Depressed mood nearly every day.
Have you ever noticed a drastic change
in your loved one's behavior and mood?
Perhaps they used to be really happy and cheerful,
but have become more tearful and gloomy nowadays.
The feeling of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness
is one of the diagnostic criteria listed in the DSM-5.
People who experience such a low mood
nearly every day for two weeks or more
would be classified as having major depression.
Number two: Diminished interest or pleasure
in all or almost all activities.
Have you ever had a friend who started avoiding
the hobbies or activities you used to enjoy doing together?
If so, they may be experiencing anhedonia.
This is the experience of a sudden loss of interest
or pleasure in activities that they previously enjoyed.
Anhedonia is also one of the telling signs of depression.
Number three: Significant weight loss or weight gain.
Have you noticed that your friend
has lost a significant amount of weight
since the last time you saw them?
There could be a chance
that they might be experiencing depression.
Depression can affect a person's eating pattern,
causing them to either lose or gain significant weight.
You might wonder how much weight change
would be considered concerning.
Well, according to one of the criteria
of major depressive disorders in the DSM-5,
a weight change of more than 5% in a month is significant.
Number four: Decrease or increase in appetite
nearly every day.
Have you started to notice that your loved one
has lost their appetite?
According to Dr. Gary Kennedy,
the director of geriatric psychiatry
at the Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York,
people with depression lose both energy and interest,
and this includes a loss of interest in eating.
They may lose interest in cooking
or lack the energy to prepare meals.
At the same time, nausea is also a symptom of depression
and may be a cause for loss of appetite as well.
Similarly, Debra Jay Johnston,
who works at an eating disorder treatment center
in Wickenburg, Ariz., stated that depression can also result
in emotional eating, a common event in which the need to eat
is not associated with physical hunger
but a response to emotional hunger.
When patients eat in response to their emotions,
they are soothed by the food,
as it changes the chemical balance in the brain.
It produces a feeling of fullness
that is more comfortable than an empty stomach
and may help improve their mood
through positive association with happier times.
Number five: Insomnia or hypersomnia.
Do they have trouble falling asleep?
Despite being tired,
they may still find it difficult to fall and remain asleep.
This is a condition known as insomnia.
On the other hand, they might also find themselves
sleeping excessively throughout the day,
which is a condition known as hypersomnia.
Both hypersomnia and insomnia are sleep disorders
that are characterized by the disruption
of normal sleep pattern,
and it may be a symptom of depression.
Number six: Psychomotor agitation or retardation.
Sometimes, depression can also manifest itself
in the slowing or loss of spontaneous movement.
Perhaps they've started to have a lifeless complexion
or have no emotional expression.
This is known as psychomotor retardation.
On the other hand, there is psychomotor agitation,
which is the opposite side of the spectrum.
This can take many forms
and usually involves repetitive purposeless
or unintentional movements and behaviors.
Number seven: Fatigue or loss in energy.
Are they tired all the time?
Depression can make a person feel
constantly fatigued and low in energy.
This tiredness and exhaustion may cause them to cancel
all of their plans with their friends
and to stay in bed all day.
Number eight: Feelings of worthlessness,
excessive, or inappropriate guilt.
How do they feel about themselves?
A person who is experiencing depression might feel worthless
or experience an excessive or inappropriate amount of guilt.
They might be overcritical
and internally belittle themselves
whenever they fail to complete a task
or reach their own expectations.
This in turn may further lower their self-esteem
and worsen their symptoms of depression.
Number nine: Diminished ability to think and concentrate.
Do they seem to have trouble focusing?
Another common symptom of depression
is the diminished ability to think and concentrate.
With the many negative thoughts in their head,
it may end up feeling like a kind of internal noise
that disrupts and worsens their thinking and concentration.
This may end up affecting their ability to complete tasks
or make it a struggle to do assignments and work.
And number 10: Recurrent thoughts of death
or suicidal ideation.
Sometimes, depression that goes unaddressed
or worsens in time leads to thoughts of suicide.
People who are severely depressed might think about death
and search for methods to end their lives.
They might say things like,
"It would be better if I weren't here,"
or be involved in risky and dangerous behavior,
such as driving through red lights.
If you or someone you know shows any of these warning signs,
please call your local suicide hotline,
contact a mental health professional right away,
or go to the emergency room.
Have you noticed these signs in yourself
or someone you know?
Remember to reach out for help if you can
and that you're not alone.
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The references and studies used in this video
are added in the description below.
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you in our next one.