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It’s absolutely normal to feel sad. Sometimes really sad. But depression is different than sadness. It goes deeper, and it’s something that you can (and should!) get help for if you’re dealing with it.
But what is depression, and how do you know if you’re depressed or just pretty sad? Doctors use a checklist to diagnose depression (yes, doctors, because it’s a medical condition!), and it’s a handy one to refer to if you think you or someone you care about might be battling depression. The nine things they look for are:
* A bummed out mood during most of the day, particularly in the morning like you can’t bear the idea of getting out of bed
* Feeling exhausted or just really sluggish almost every day
* Feeling guilty or like you don’t matter almost every day
* Not being able to concentrate or make a decision
* Gaining or losing a lot of weight
* Weird sleeping patterns, like not being able to sleep or sleeping way more than usual almost every day
* Feeling restless
* Not being able to enjoy stuff you used to really like
* Any thoughts of death or suicide
First off, if you even for a second think about hurting yourself or ending your life, STOP and call a help line like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Your life is important, even if you don’t think so right now. You do not have to face this alone.
And if you haven’t ever thought about hurting yourself, but still match up with lots of things on that list, talk to someone. Anyone. Your teacher. Your dad. A counselor or even your boss. If you are, in fact, clinically depressed, you could be feeling a lot better if you reached out and got some help. Your smile is too pretty to go into hiding like this, girl.
Seeing A Therapist Doesn’t Have To Suck
Can You Trust Him?
I thought I had depression this past year, but over the summer my friend informed me that I didn’t have it. She seemed to know everything about depression just because a member of her family had it (I know all about that), and said I would have tried to kill myself. I really don’t wan’t depression, but I also have chronic migraines and its just too much. It really isn’t something you can push away.
I discovered I was depressed just about a month ago. I reached out to my closest friends and my boyfriend. Having someone constantly checking up on me, even though it’s hard for them, is a life-saver. Literally. I still struggle every single day, but those are days that I choose to continue living.
I realise that this is an American website, but could Gurl put any UK telephone helpline numbers on here too, as this website is accessible from the UK.
I’ve had depression for years now. This article is just like the others I’ve read, it’s not helpful at all. I was suicidal, and calling a hotline to TALK about my “condition” made me want to pull the plug faster.