It’s not surprising that the deepest pains are the ones hardest to communicate with others. Over time, anxiety, depression, and isolation can drive a wedge between us and the people we love. While it is natural to feel sadness from time to time, there is a point when what we feel internally exceeds normal sadness and points to a larger, and potentially harmful, problem. It’s important to understand and recognize the warning signs that indicate when depression needs to be addressed and our emotional wellness needs to be tended to. Here are five signs when depression has gone too far, and the steps to take to get life back on track.
- Change of Character
Sometimes, it is hard to recognize how many masks we put on to cover how we feel on the inside. No matter how much we try to act like everything is fine, if something is eating us from the inside, it will reveal itself to our family and friends over time. When someone points out that you haven’t been acting like yourself, you should really stop and weigh what this statement really means, and truly think about if it’s time to seek help.
- Becoming More Withdrawn
When faced with great inner conflict, we tend to spend more time focused on ourselves, for better or worse. As we become more and more withdrawn, there might be a point where our own friends and family members will point this out to us, and suddenly yank us back to the present moment. If your emotional health is beginning to interfere with how you interact with the outside world, then it might be time to take action.
- Turning to Self-Destructive Habits
Everyone responds to inner conflict differently. Sometimes, we put on a mask and pretend like everything is fine. Sometimes, we cut ourselves off from everything around us, and other times we respond with physical violence to match the violence occurring within. While self-harm is a typical indication that our emotional pain is manifesting in a negative way, there are other ways we can inflict harm upon ourselves such as turning to drugs and alcohol. Acts of self-harm are a clear indicator that it’s time to reach out for help.
- Shifting Moods and Behaviors
Our mood can be a deceptive gauge of how we feel internally. Mood can fluctuate from highs to lows in a span of a few minutes, and for seemingly no reason at all. However fleeting mood may be, sudden changes in mood and behavior can point to a crescendo of internal emotional pain, and signal it’s time to seek help from professionals. When it comes to suicide, impulsivity is a dangerous state of mind.
- Lack of Future Ambitions
A sign that often goes overlooked is how a person struggling with depressive and suicidal thoughts often fails to make plans for the future. For many, part of living is making plans—planning out the upcoming weeks, months, and even years. Making future plans shows that we anticipate being around for a long time. If you find that you don’t really have any plans moving forward or if you feel lost and certain that you don’t have a future, then you absolutely need to seek help.
Any time you notice yourself, or even someone close to you, exhibiting any one of these signs, you should take a moment and assess the situation by asking, “Am I, or is this person, at risk?” There is always someone out there ready to listen, hear your story, and let you express what’s going on inside. When you’re not sure what to do, talk. There are various ways to prevent depression from exceeding beyond our control. Sometimes, all we need is a companion animal such as a dog to help give our life enough purpose to keep us hanging on, but sometimes we need more in-depth help from a counselor or therapist. Whatever help you need, you deserve to get it so you can live a happy, fulfilling life.
So often, tragedies can be avoided if people just take the time to check in on themselves and others. No matter how dark we may feel internally, there’s always a silver lining. There’s always a reason to keep moving forward. – Melissa Howard
Thank you to WHCA’s guest freelance contributor, Melissa Howard, for this article.
Are you struggling or need more information? Check out the CASP website.