For the average person, negative situations or feelings can usually be worked through. Yet, for someone with depression, those emotions are unmanageable, reflected through outlooks, through moods and through behaviours.

Unfortunately, the amount of people currently suffering from depression is very high. Down to this increase, many individuals see depression as the norm, as a harmless, easy to overcome illness.

When in fact, its span, across masses of diagnoses showcases the dangers and seriousness of depression as a mental health illness.

For some, depression can be mild, where independent management can be foreseeable. Many individuals have healthy coping strategies to work through mood disorders.

However, for others, clinical depression can be present, where a professional intervention will be necessary to offer guidance through management.

The earlier that depression can be diagnosed, the less complex the mood disorder becomes, avoiding the potential of further behavioural problems, such as addiction.

Knowing and spotting the early signs of depression are therefore important, which we’ve highlighted below for your convenience.

Whether you’re experiencing the signs and symptoms of depression or have lived with a mental health issue for a long period of time, we urge you to act.

We can assist at Ocean Recovery, specialists in addiction and mental health recovery programmes.

 

What is depression?

Experiencing low stages is very common throughout life. We all encounter difficult moments linked to stress, linked to sadness, linked to vulnerabilities.

However, the way in which we respond to those moments and emotions will dictate our behaviours, our outlooks and our feelings.

For most individuals, the negatives will be outweighed with the positives. However, for someone living with depression, the negatives reside, making it very difficult to see a glimmer of positivity.

Depression can materialise for no reason at all. Feeling depressed isn’t a choice, but a natural reaction caused by exposure to certain stimuli.

For some, heightened susceptibility of experiencing depression is present, caused by cognitive weaknesses, caused by genetics, caused by environments, and caused by further behavioural habits.

However, for the majority, depression is an uncontrollable condition which develops over time, which can be extremely complex to understand.

As experiences differ with depression, it is important that the signs of depression are understood and gauged as soon as possible. Without insight, a negative mindset can soon turn into depression, which can soon turn into a dual diagnosis, or even worse, chronic life-limiting results of suicide.

While more and more people may be suffering from depression, the seriousness of the condition must be upheld.

We must firstly increase awareness around the early signs of depression, and common causations, secondly reduce the stigma around mental health issues, and thirdly, boost knowledge of recovery routes from depression.

Feeling low, on a consistent basis may be the norm for you. However, this will likely be the cycle of depression, controlling your perception, controlling your feelings, and controlling your actions.

It’s time to consider whether you are depressed by gauging psychological, physical and social signs and symptoms of depression.

 

The early signs of depression to look out for

Signs and symptoms of depression can present themselves in many different ways. Some individuals will experience the early signs of depression through psychological symptoms, others through physical symptoms, and others through social symptoms.

There is, however, a likelihood for greater symptoms to develop overtime if depression isn’t controlled through professional intervention.

It’s also important to remember that symptoms of depression, that you’re currently experiencing may be linked to an alternative condition/influence.

However, it is vital that you do source professional guidance, especially if you’re feeling low, unhappy and disinterested, especially when considering situations which would commonly influence happiness for you.

Psychological symptoms

  • Feelings of helplessness or low self-worth
  • Low mood, whether that’s sadness, anxiety or worry
  • A lack of motivation or inspiration
  • Heightened irritability
  • Low enjoyment from life
  • Negative feelings towards certain people, situations or environments
  • Favouriting being alone

Physical symptoms

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Digestive issues
  • Low energy
  • Chronic pain
  • Disrupted menstrual cycle

Social symptoms

  • Breakdown in relationships
  • Reduced interest in life, in socialising, in hobbies
  • Desires to be alone much more than normal
  • Avoiding contact with others

There are different types of depression, all carrying varying impacts, especially when considering their degree. Yet, above, are the early signs of depression to look out for, which can represent either a mild or chronic diagnosis. If you’re experiencing a mixture of signs and symptoms, especially out of the blue, it’s important that you look beyond the stigma of opening up.

 

Different types of depression and their impacts

Depression can range from mild to chronic, all depending on the changes and influences it has on someone’s life.

A lot of people will initially experience mild depression, where an element of their life is impacted. Down to its mild status, symptoms are usually manageable on an independent scale.

However, if depression continues, it can reach a moderate materialisation, where life can be impacted across the board, causing psychological, physical and social adaptations.

Support should most definitely be sourced through this degree of depression.

Many individuals do, unfortunately, experience chronic depression, where psychotic symptoms are common, where experiencing a dual diagnosis is common, and where daily life becomes very difficult to live through.

As depression can develop rapidly, commonly invisibly to those experiencing it, it is important that awareness around the early signs of depression is increased.

 

The importance of spotting the early signs of depression

As depression can develop uncontrollably, spotting the early signs is very important. This can reduce a lot of suffering, a lot of harm and the risk of physical and psychological conditions, stemmed from mood disorders.

Those living with depression will likely behave irrationally, they will make poor decisions, they will suffer from extremely low self-esteem and worth, and will likely turn to negative coping strategies.

Those strategies will usually surround drug and alcohol abuse, which is why early intervention will be beneficial, to reduce the risk of a dual diagnosis.

Since depression is highly linked to addiction, to further mental health issues such as anxiety, and to high suicide rates, if you’re finding it hard to leave the lows behind, it’s time to source support.

 

Overcoming depression at Ocean Recovery

If you’re struggling with depression, at Ocean Recovery, we can support you. We recognise how difficult this time may be for you, acknowledging that your life has taken a turn for the worst. However, that change can be reverted and managed by completing psychologically led treatment services.

Without managing depression, there are many significant negatives which can disrupt your life even more.

If you’re already at this point, where drug and alcohol consumption has caused greater deterioration, we can also help you through dual diagnosis treatment. If you’re yet to reach this point, we urge you to source support for your mood disorder, helping you make happy, healthy and positive changes.

See the early signs of depression as a warning to contact our team at Ocean Recovery, helping you leave behind the negative feelings or emotions you may currently feel, behind.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: January 13, 2022

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.