- [Narrator] Psi has been feeling so exhausted
that he doesn't even have the energy
to hang out with his friends.
He still wants to spend time with the people he loves
and do things he enjoys, but he's frustrated
because his fatigue is preventing him from doing so.
He's had trouble sleeping
and has been feeling like this for the past week.
He often asks himself, 'Am I depressed or just tired?'
After all, according to a 2018 study
by Ghanean and colleagues,
fatigue occurs in over 90% of people with depression.
So it can be hard to tell the difference
based on his symptoms.
Do you think Psi is tired or depressed?
Keep watching till the end of the video
to find out the answer
and to learn four signs that you might be depressed,
not just fatigued.
Number one, your interest.
One of the main differences between depression and tiredness
is your level of interest.
In an interview with Healthline, Alex Dimitru,
a sleep expert and psychiatrist, explained that
he asks his patients a key question to determine
whether they are depressed or just sleep deprived.
Do you feel too tired to do enjoyable activities
but still wish you could participate in them?
Or do you have no interest in doing these activities at all?
If you feel tired, but are still interested in doing things
that bring you pleasure, you're less likely to be depressed.
But if you feel uninterested in doing anything,
then this could be a warning sign of depression.
Number two, your mood.
Feeling physically tired is one thing
but severe negative change in your mood is another story.
According to Verywell Mind, if you're depressed,
you might feel hopeless or have a low sense of self-worth.
You may also notice that you can't concentrate well
and have a harder time making decisions.
Did you know that mood swings are also common
in people with depression?
A 2017 study published in Frontiers in psychiatry
showed that mood instability was highly correlated
with depressive symptoms.
If you've been having noticeable fluctuations in your mood,
this may be a sign
that depression is the root cause of your fatigue.
Number three, speech and eye movement.
When we think of depression,
we often think of its emotional effects
rather than the physical.
But according to a 2010 study,
depression affects psychomotor skills,
a combination of bodily movement and cognitive processes.
This includes speech and eye movement.
Do you feel that you've become less articulate
or pause more during conversations?
Maybe you don't make eye contact as much as you used to
or speak more quietly with less enthusiasm and emotion.
All of these changes are indicators
of reduced psychomotor function related to depression.
And number four, persistent symptoms.
Time for a check-in.
If you relate to the points in this video so far,
how long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
We all feel down sometimes.
An occasional sadness is not necessarily
an indicator of depression.
If you only have these symptoms every once in a while
rather than persistently,
you may not meet the diagnostic criteria
for clinical depression.
According to the World Health Organization,
for your symptoms to be characterized
as a depressive episode
they must occur for at least two weeks, almost every day
and for most of the day.
Have you been experiencing
all of the symptoms we've listed persistently
for over two weeks?
If yes, you may be suffering from depression,
especially if your symptoms include
feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness,
and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
If you relate to the signs mentioned in the video,
we wanna remind you to be kind to yourself
and you can always talk to a mental health professional.
So after watching this video,
did you come up with the answer to Psi's question?
You guessed it.
He was tired but not depressed.
He was still interested in doing enjoyable activities.
He wasn't experiencing any major mood changes
and his fatigue had only been going on for a week.
So, it's more likely that he's experiencing
temporary tiredness rather than depression.
Have you been experiencing fatigue, depression, or both?
Share in the comments below
to relate to others in our community.
To learn more about this topic,
check out 10 things only depressed people will understand.
If you found this video helpful, leave a like
and share it with those who might benefit from it.
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Until next time, and thanks so much for watching.
(light music)