Can you recognize depression on your own?

According to data, about 90% of patients with depression often do not realize that they may be suffering from depression in the early stages of the disease. It is difficult for patients to associate their low mood with depression in the early stages. It is not until one day that they have suicidal thoughts or even do something to harm themselves or others that they often realize the seriousness and seek help from a doctor.

The main symptoms of depression are low mood, lack of interest and fatigue, which are specifically manifested as sadness, discomfort, depression, feeling that life is meaningless, not interested in anything, life is boring, listless, and reclusive. In addition, there are also symptoms of low self-evaluation (sense of uselessness, hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness) and decreased volitional activity (passive life, laziness, social avoidance, and slow behavior). In severe cases, suicidal thoughts and behaviors may occur.

About 90% of patients with depression do not realize or admit that they have this disease. Most of them just think that they are not active, social, and introverted, and do not think it is a big problem.； Some people can feel their depression, but they find it unpleasant to talk about it and are unwilling to admit it and treat it. In fact, the severity of depression can also be judged from the degree of resistance. The more severe the resistance, the more severe the depression.

In order to facilitate everyone's self-examination, here are the self-examination standards for depression proneness provided by the World Health Organization:

1. Lack of interest or pleasure in doing things.

2. Feeling disappointed, frustrated, and without a sense of happiness.

3. Difficulty falling asleep or sleeping too much.

4. Feeling physically tired and weak.

5. Decreased appetite or overeating.

6. Self-denial, believing that you are a loser and letting everyone down.

7. Unable to concentrate on doing things.

8. Move or speak too slowly or too much.

9. Thinking that it would be better if you died or having thoughts of harming yourself.

Having more than 4 symptoms indicates an increased risk of depression. Of course, the final identification of depression must be completed by a professional medical institution.

There are many types of depression, some obvious and some subtle. For example, some people appear to be eloquent, but their eloquence is disguised. No matter what type of depression they have, once they feel uncomfortable or behave abnormally, they must seek help from a professional hospital as soon as possible.

References

[1] Zhang Bin. What to do about depression[M]. Guangzhou: Guangdong Science and Technology Press, 2020:37-39.

[2] Song Jiayu. Only marriage and love psychology experts know the Women’s Marriage and Love Psychology Guidance Manual [M]. Beijing: China Workers Publishing House, 2016: 108-200.