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- [Amanda] Hey, Psych2Goers.
Welcome back to another video.
As a quick disclaimer, we wanted to remind our viewers
that the depression signs discussed in this video
should not be used to diagnose anyone with depression.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression,
please reach out to a mental health professional
who can help.
With that said, let's begin.
Have you ever had days where all you wanted to do
is lie in bed and do absolutely nothing else,
you just wanted to be lazy
and not worry about any of your responsibilities?
We've all had our off days.
We've all felt lazy, unmotivated,
and uninspired from time to time,
and it's normal to feel like that.
But we live in such a hypercompetitive society
that's so hyperfocused on pursuing success and wealth
that it's made us feel internally guilty
for the time we spend not working
towards something productive.
When you overwork yourself to exhaustion
and are dealing with chronic stress,
it will inevitably have adverse effects
on your mental and emotional health.
But what if it could be more than that?
What if your laziness is more
than just you feeling burnt out?
Here are six warning signs of depression
that are more than just laziness.
Number one, you can't snap yourself out of it.
A sense of laziness usually creeps in
when you're overly stressed
or if you've been working too hard for too long.
And there are a lot of nifty tips and tricks you can use
to snap yourself out of it, like making it to-do list,
listening to motivational talks,
or setting achievable goals.
But when it's depression, depression isn't a choice,
and it's definitely not something you can just shake off
or get over no matter what other people tell you.
Depression is a serious mental illness
that needs to be treated with professional help
and medication if required.
Oftentimes, depressive episodes can recur
throughout your life,
so months of therapy may be needed to help you cope.
Number two, you can't cheer yourself up.
Do you often struggle with feelings
of unexplained loneliness, sadness, and hopelessness?
Do you feel exhausted all the time
and rarely have any energy?
You might be feeling downcast and disheartened
for reasons you just don't understand.
And nothing you do seems to cheer you up
or make you feel better.
No amount of sleep, comfort food, self-care activities,
or fun times with friends seem to do much
to brighten your spirits.
When you're battling depression,
not even doing the things you used to love the most
or spending time with your loved ones
can make you feel better.
Number three, you've lost interest in everything.
According to the American Psychological Association,
a markedly diminished interest of pleasure in activities
is one of the hallmarks of a depressive episode.
So if you've found that your laziness
has made you lose motivation and interest in everything,
including school and work, then that's a sure sign
that something is seriously wrong with your mental health.
With depression, you tend to lose interest in your hobbies
and emotionally withdraw from those around you.
You prefer to stay at home
and lay in bed doing nothing most of the day
because you just can't find it in yourself
to care enough about much of anything anymore.
Number four, you can't function like you used to.
Do you feel that your laziness is getting out of hand?
Has it become too much for you to manage?
Is it getting in the way of your work,
your school, or your personal life?
If you answered yes to any of these questions,
then you may be dealing with depression.
In diagnosing depression,
psychologists tend to look at the four Ds of abnormality.
They are deviance, distress, danger, and dysfunction.
So if your laziness is making you dysfunctional,
significantly interferes with your everyday tasks,
and feels like a constant hurdle in your life,
then it may be time
to see a mental health care professional about it.
Number five, your laziness isn't triggered by anything.
Oftentimes, laziness manifests as procrastination
and may be brought on by a number of different reasons.
Some believe a sense of laziness
reflects a lack of self-esteem
while others would argue it's because of a lack
of positive recognition from others.
It could also be due to a lack of discipline,
self-control, and interest.
But what about depression?
What brings about depression?
Well, the truth is psychologists don't really know.
But one thing we do know for sure
is that it isn't usually triggered
by just one particular thing.
There isn't always a clear reason
for why depression might develop.
So if you find yourself feeling down,
disheartened, and unenergetic all of a sudden,
depression may be the reason why.
And number six, your laziness isn't a choice.
Finally, but perhaps most importantly,
the key difference between depression and laziness
is that while laziness can be changed,
depression isn't so easily altered.
If you're feeling tired or unmotivated,
you can do something to change that for yourself.
You can rest, brainstorm, look for inspiration,
and try out different productivity hacks
to help you get out of your funk.
But with depression, it's not that easy.
It's not a funk that you can just get out of.
When you have depression, you're not making the choice
to be depressed or stay depressed.
In fact, patients with depression often report feelings
of extreme guilt, shame,
and helplessness due to their depression.
No one with depression is ever just doing it for attention.
Mental illness goes so much deeper than that.
Can you relate to any of the signs
of depression in this video?
If you or anyone you know is experiencing serious feelings
of depression, don't hesitate to reach out
to a mental healthcare professional and get help.
Please like and share this video if it helped you
and you think it could help someone else, too.
The studies and references used
are listed in the description below.
Don't forget to hit the subscribe button
for more Psych2Go videos.
And thank you for watching. We'll see you next time.
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