Depression hits everyone from young to old. According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people globally suffer from depression. It can slowly creep in, or hit all at once. We take a look at a few warning signs of depression, and how you can overcome depression.
Depression often goes undetected because a common stereotype of depression is a person who is always sad or cries a lot. “Smiling depression” is unfortunately a very common occurrence, when those who are experiencing depression mask their symptoms. They hide behind a smile to convince other people that they are happy.
With Circuit Breaker enforcing social distancing amongst Singaporeans, the social withdrawal and lack of pleasurable social activities may have a profound effect on people suffering from depression.
What are the signs?
Some of the more common symptoms of early-stage depression are: Feelings of anxiety, guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep, poor appetite and concentration, as well as irritability.
Anyone going through major life changes are more at risk of suffering from depression. Frequent social media users are at risk of having their mental health affected. Negative comments from others can easily dent anyone’s self-image, and also makes bullying particularly easy.
If depressing feelings grow over time, they should not be ignored. There are easy ways to help fight off the depression. The biggest red flag is suicidal thoughts, and you must seek help immediately.
What you can do to ward off depression
Seek social support
Find someone you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with, someone who’ll listen to you without passing judgement. It can seem overwhelming, but developing and maintaining close relationships are vital to help power through this tough time.
Try to keep up with social activities even on social media. The positive effect of engaging in meaningful discussion on social media, is that it can be a good form of social support. See something interesting which your friend posted? Make a good constructive comment which feeds positive energy to it.
