Warning signs

TESS

The symptoms of depression can vary from person to person and they can depend on the person's age, sex and personality. Women often find it easier to cry than men and they also tend to talk about their feelings more often than men. On the other hand, men often keep things to themselves and can have sudden bursts of irritability and aggressiveness.

A person suffering from depression will often try to hide his or her depressed state to family and friends so as not to be a burden. A person may also hide his or her condition due to an unwillingness to accept the depression.

Although a person may try to keep his or her depression from people, you may be able to detect the symptoms of depression:

• Listlessness
• Greater tendency to reflect on things
• Introversion
• Sudden lack of initiative
• Complaints about problems sleeping
• Lack of enthusiasm for everyday chores
• Increased tiredness and lack of energy
• Tendency to constantly think "What is the point of it all?"
• Anxiety (the most common cause of anxiety is depression)
• Reduced self-esteem and self-confidence

You should therefore suspect depression if a person gradually withdraws from his or her usual social and leisure activities, if he or she loses interest in usual pleasurable activities, or starts to become indifferent towards friends or family.

Ask cautiously

If you suspect that the person may be suffering from depression, you could cautiously ask "Are you feeling depressed?" or "Are you having negative thoughts?". You will often get an honest answer. In this way, you will have steered the conversation towards depression. You can then sensitively discuss and comment on the illness.

The person will undoubtedly not have the energy to bring up this subject. If you can "help the person get started," he or she will hopefully acknowledge the depth of the depression and the need to start treatment.

Guilt and shame

Feelings of guilt and shame go hand in hand with depression. A person who is suffering from depression will therefore be inclined to turn everything against himself or herself. Feelings of guilt are a prominent symptom of depression. He or she will tend to find evidence of his or her own inadequacies, selfishness, and lack of love for those closest to him or her. The person will often take responsibility for all the sadness in his or her family and friends. He or she will also take to heart the misery of others. The person will then consider himself or herself to be the cause of the misery. This feeling of guilt is often the driving force in the thoughts that can lead to a suicide attempt.