Human Resource Knowledge: Signs of Depression

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Signs of Depression

Know the Signs of Depression and Improve Your Life -

Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the way a person has come to think about himself.
"I just can't get myself to do any work around the house. My marriage is falling apart."
"My hair is thinning. I'm losing my looks. No one will care about me anymore."

These are typical thoughts of people who are depressed and show a change in thinking, feeling and acting.

Here are other signs of depression :

Continual feelings of sadness, emptiness and helplessness that seem to have no cause
Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities
Decreased energy, fatigue
Sleep and/or eating problems
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
Irritability, excessive crying
Chronic physical aches and pains that do not go away
Feelings of hopelessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.
If a person shows several of the above signs of depression for an extended period (2 weeks or more) he should consult a physician.

Although the change may come on gradually, the depressed person is different from the way he was before the onset of his illness perhaps even the opposite of his usual self. There are many signs of depression confirming this change : the successful businessman who believes he is on the brink of bankruptcy, the devoted mother who wants to abandon her children, the gourmet who can't stand food, the playboy who becomes disgusted with sex. Instead of seeking pleasure, the depressed person avoids it. Instead of caring for himself, he neglects himself and his appearance. His instinct to survive may give way to a desire to end his life. His drive to succeed may be replaced by passivity and withdrawal.

The most obvious and typical signs of depression relate to a sad mood: gloomy, lonely, apathetic. The depressed person may find himself crying even when there seems to be nothing to cry about or may find it impossible to cry when a truly sad event occurs. He may have trouble sleeping or wake early in the morning, unable to return to sleep. On the other hand, feeling constantly tired, he may sleep more than usual. He may lose his appetite and lose weight, or eat more than he does normally and gain weight.

Signs of depression also relate to self-esteem. Typically, the depressed person sees himself in a very negative way. He may believe that he is helpless and alone in the world and often blames himself for trivial faults or shortcomings. He is pessimistic about himself, about the world, and about his future. He loses interest in what is going on around him and doesn't get satisfaction out of activities

Seven Things You Can Do Immediately To Ease Depression -

Get out now and walk fifteen minutes. It will get your feet moving and help you feel you are at least able to do something.
Go immediately and be with someone who loves you. It will give you the feeling that you are wanted.
Religious? Say a prayer. Ask God to help you get through this.
Think of a situation, a place where you were very happy. Visualize yourself in that situation once more.
Power of suggestion can do wonders. Say to yourself, "I think I can get better. I have to take it step by step. I will work my way out of this."
Go out and buy a plant, or some flowers. Having something living in your house makes you feel more alive.
If possible, get outside in the sunshine. If it's not possible, turn on some bright lights. Sunshine and bright light are known to make people happier.

5 Tips to Reduce Depression -

While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following five simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly.

Do not read newspapers.
Newspapers publish negative stories most of the time. Even in peaceful periods, newspapers will find the worst in humanity and place negative stories on display in order to promote sales and subscribers. Stories focused on War, rebellion, death, destruction, doom and despair abound in the newspapers.

You will not miss any news. Friends, family, and your local air raid siren will keep you informed if your attention is needed. Only pay attention to the things you can control in your life. Stop reading the newspaper and reduce the negative input to your brain.
Turn off your television.
Watching and listening about the horrible economy and the losses associated with War will add to depression. In fact, you guarantee the feeling of helplessness. Helplessness allows depression to nurture. If you really need to watch or listen to these kinds of news stories, promise yourself you will bury yourself in the documentaries that are sure to follow in the next 5 or 10 years. A way you can eliminate most of the negative input to your brain is by setting it aside for a date somewhere in the future. I guarantee in the future, you will not find it very interesting.

When visitors come to your home, make sure you turn off your television and keep it off. News television broadcasters are fighting for your guests' attention as they promote despair, war, death, and destruction with many headline news interruptions. Those little banners that run across the bottom of the screen achieve your attention and they take hold of your consciousness. Television will diminish your positive spirit.
Say good things about others -
My Mother always says, "if you can't say anything nice about others, don't say anything at all." However, when you find yourself in a conversation and a relative says, "Remember Uncle Phil?" " He was an alcoholic" Respond with " yes, Uncle Phil was an alcoholic and he was the most charitable person, I have ever met."

Connect your friend's negative statement about Phil with a positive one. Set yourself up to find the positive in anyone's statement and you will keep negative thoughts and depression from overtaking your life. Og Mandino, a great motivator once said, "treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight." "Your life will never be the same again."
Get physical exercise -
Adults forget about exercise when suffering from depression. Make sure you are exercising daily and sending more oxygen to your brain cells. The result of exercise will improve your health as well as your attitude.
Breathe deep and relax -
Practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind. Breathe deeply and relax. For 2 or 3 minutes each hour, take a short mental vacation.

You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or when listening to others while talking on a telephone. You can complete the exercise at home or at work.

Take three deep breathes and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. You may think about relaxing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your favorite room at home. As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs. Focus on positive images in your life. Focus on laughter, love, excitement, and hope.

Keep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the exercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life.