Eight warning signs of depression

SAN DIEGO – Everyone has ups and downs. Feeling sad or having “the blues” from time to time is normal. However, if those feelings won’t go away, they could be a sign of depression.

“Feeling sad and down are normal reactions to everyday struggles and disappointments,” said Alfredo Aguirre, director for Behavioral Health Services for the County Health and Human Services Agency. “Depression is much more than just sadness. It’s a feeling of emptiness and despair that could take hold of your life and won’t go away. Depression makes it tough to function and enjoy life like you used to.”

How can you tell if someone is depressed?

If an individual has several of the following signs and symptoms—especially the first two—and they don’t seem to go away, that person could be suffering from depression.

• Feeling hopeless and helpless: the person's outlook on life is bleak. The individual feels as if things won’t get better and that there’s nothing they can do about it.
• Loss of interest in friends and favorite activities: hanging out with friends seems like a chore, and hobbies and social activities now feel like a hassle. The person has lost the ability to have fun.
• The person is tired all the time and has aches and pains: the individual feels physically drained. Even small tasks feel exhausting and endless. The individual experiences physical ailments such as headaches, back pain, and aching muscles.
• Changes in sleep and appetite: the person is either not sleeping or sleeping too much. The individual experiences significant weight gain or loss; with body weight changing by more than five percent in a month.
• Trouble concentrating and difficulty with easy tasks: the person has have trouble focusing, making decisions or remembering things.
• Negative thoughts persist: the individual has strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and is very critical of perceived faults and mistakes.
• More irritable and aggressive: the person feels agitated, restless or even violent, and is annoyed with everything and everyone.
• Drinking more alcohol and engaging in reckless behavior: the individual uses substance abuse as an escape, and is gambling compulsively, driving recklessly or doing dangerous sports.

“Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms," said Aguirre. "The more symptoms you have, the stronger they are and the longer they’ve lasted, the greater the chance that you have depression. If the symptoms are overwhelming and disabling, that's when it's time to seek help.”

People experiencing a mental health disorder can access services by calling the County’s 24-hour, multilingual Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240. Resources are also available at It’s Up to Us, the County’s suicide prevention and mental health stigma reduction website.