Everyone feels low from time to time, so it’s not always easy to know when it is part-and-parcel of daily life, and when it’s time to seek help. In most cases, it is short-term and self-correcting, but for a significant minority this is not the case. For those individuals, it is important to seek treatment just as you would any other health condition like broken bone or torn ligaments, Here we discuss six warning signs which, together, might indicate that it’s time to seek professional help.

1. You’ve been feeling low or irritable for most of the day, every day for two weeks or more. You might have found yourself worrying about past or future events for long periods of time, or simply feeling sad, cross or tearful. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize a gradual change – have others noticed that you don’t seem your usual self?
2. You’ve lost interest in activities that you used to enjoy. Perhaps you have been seeing less of your friends or family recently, have stopped going to the gym, or cooking balanced meals. This is really about recognizing changes in what’s normal for you – no one is saying you have to exercise five times a week or eat your greens, but changes in your routine can offer concrete indications that your mood is changing.
3. You are struggling to concentrate. You might notice that you struggle to focus when reading or watching television, for example, or to follow the thread of a spoken conversation. This could be affecting your performance at work, or limiting your ability to perform routine tasks such as food shopping. Again, we are looking for a change in what’s normal for you, so if concentration has always been something you find tricky there is little cause for concern.
4. Your energy levels are depleted. Feeling exhausted is one of the most debilitating effects of depression. Summoning the energy to do anything – even getting out of bed – can be a huge effort, and you might find yourself feeling frustrated at not being able to do things that used to be seemingly effortless.
5. Your sleeping and/or eating patterns have changed. Often, it is said that a reduced appetite is a sign of depression. In fact, eating more than usual can be just as indicative of low mood as eating less. The same goes for sleeping: both sleeping more and sleeping less are warning signs that you might have depression. Early morning waking – that is, waking several hours before you would normally expect to, and struggling to get back to sleep – is another common sign
6. You’ve been preoccupied with feelings of guilt or worthlessness. This might be a case of feeling like you’re in the wrong or that you’ve let people down, or that you are a burden on those who are close to you. Often, these ideas are disproportionate to the event that has triggered them. A good way to test whether these ideas might be out of proportion is to ask a trusted friend or family member whether they would feel the same way in your shoes.

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.

– Robert Frost

Depression, like many mental health conditions, follows ‘the rule of thirds’: One third of sufferers will make a full recovery, one third will partially respond to treatment, and one third will not benefit from treatment at all. Your age, the duration of your symptoms, having a family history of depression, and co-occurring mental or physical health difficulties might all affect your prognosis. Some researchers believe that there is evidence for a ‘scarring’ effect, where the likelihood of suffering from a relapse in depression increases with the number of episodes you have already had. There is also an increased risk of suicide associated with severe depression. if you find any symptoms in you or your dear one, Contact us to get the immediate support