When someone suggests talking about religion, how do you respond? A lot of people are a little hesitant to talk about religion because they are used to it being a topic that invites a lot of controversy. This is too bad. There are a lot of great conversations to have about religion, if only we can all agree to be open and understanding. That's the position we aim to take on this blog. We write about religion-related topics from an objective standpoint, and we try to welcome all viewpoints. Start reading this blog, and you might learn a bit about religion, but also about talking about religion.
Kurt Morales
Depression is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans, as well as many more worldwide. While controlling and reducing depression is often a life-long task, detecting this mental health condition as soon as possible and getting help for it is the best way to start recovering. If you're worried about someone in your life or just don't know how you can be sure if a loved one is feeling depressed or not, here are a few things you should keep in mind.
Common Misconceptions
While it's becoming less common, unfortunately, there are still many misconceptions out there regarding depression. For example, some people think that others only suffer from depression if something terrible has happened in their lives recently, or if they're at a certain age, or even due to medications. While all three of these things can indeed cause or worsen depression, they aren't necessarily the sole cause, nor do they have to be present in order for depression to manifest.
Some people, for example, simply seem to be depressed by nature, due to a combination of genetics, upbringing, and even sleep patterns. So if someone around you seems like they're down in the dumps, don't assume that it's a simple issue. It may be clinical depression.
Withdrawal
One possible sign of someone you care about being depressed is that they may withdraw from social activities, things they're typically interested in, and even communicating with loved ones. Depressed people often lack the energy to do these things, and even if they have it, often self-doubt, self-hatred, or fear may get in the way of them pushing through and doing it. If you know that someone important to you used to enjoy certain activities or being social and now they rarely participate, it may be a warning flag that something is going on.
Self-Neglect
Another consideration is how well the person you care about is taking care of themselves. When people are depressed, they often develop a sense of worthlessness and a loss of energy. As a result, doing common things like washing clothes, taking a shower, or even brushing their teeth can become difficult, if not downright impossible. This doesn't mean that they're a slob or enjoy being that way. It just means that the struggle is too difficult for them to take it all on at once. Generally, people don't let their hygiene suffer unless something's seriously wrong, so if your loved one doesn't seem to be overtly ill or injured, it could be depression.
There are many resources to learn more about depression out there, including books on mental health awareness. More signs than these exist, and books like those can help you to not only recognize the symptoms but also learn how you can approach the issue and help your loved one to start recovering. Schedule a mental health evaluation with someone like New Element Consultants.