When Is It Time To Talk To The Doctor About My Depression

Our lives can sometimes get out of hand, especially around the holidays.  Despite our best efforts to keep it in control. We are busy, and in a flurry of activity, it isn’t unheard of for us to just lose track of our feelings and emotions. There’s work to be done, people to look after, and always the normal cares of being a busy human being on the go. What happens when you begin to feel like you just can’t keep up anymore? Maybe you lost a relative or had a bad breakup, or a financial crisis left you struggling. If you’re not careful, those feelings of sadness can graduate into depression. It may be time to go talk to a doctor. Do you know when it is time to sit down with a professional?

 

 

How long have you felt this way? Everybody gets sad sometimes, but they are not depressed. Depression is a combination of depression symptoms lasting for two weeks or more. IF you feel sad and you just can’t seem to shake it, it may be time to schedule an appointment.  Honestly, I went too long not addressing or dealing with my depression. To be honest, I did not even realize it was depression until I read an article about depression and as I read I was thinking the whole time…..this is ME!  Here are a few things I deal with at times:

 

Your life no longer interests you

Losing interest in things that inspire you is a depression symptom to look out for, and you’ll definitely want to let the doctor know. If you are finding yourself losing interest in your life and your hobbies and the people around you, that is something to be concerned about.

 

Your weight is fluctuating

 Depression can cause your weight to fluctuate. Some people gain weight, others lose. Some of this could be tied to the fluctuations in our appetite that being depressed can cause. If you have lost your appetite completely, or you just can’t seem to get enough food, be certain to keep an eye on those symptoms.

 

You are constantly irritable

 If you go from being a relatively relaxed person to becoming a grouch overnight, that is not normal. Being constantly irritable with people and situations could be pointing to depression. That doesn’t mean that every time you find yourself frustrated that it is depression, but it could be related and is worth mentioning to your doctor.

 

Your sleeping habits have changed dramatically

 Are you sleeping all of the time? Do you barely sleep at all? Much like the fluctuations in appetite, depression can cause insomnia or fatigue that will keep you up all night or cause you to sleep all of the time. To some, this can feel like a fluke, or just you being a little more tired than normal. It is completely ok to be tired but that persistent fatigue with no cause could be a sign that something more is going on.

 

You feel worthless

Do you find yourself feeling like nobody cares? Do you think if you would disappear that nobody would miss you? Those feelings of worthlessness are an extremely common depression symptom. Many people who are depressed struggle to see their own value. If you fail to see yourself as worthy when you had no issues with doing so before, it is time for you to take that information to a professional and allow them to assist you.

 

 

Those feelings of worthlessness from your weight, past hurt, or unachieved goals can sometimes bloom into ideas of harming yourself. This is not something that you should ever ignore. If you are feeling like you could potentially hurt yourself, don’t wait to schedule the doctor’s appointment, talk with someone at the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255. There is someone available to help you 24 hours per day, 7 days per week if you find yourself in immediate danger.

Depression is not something that is always immediately noticeable. If you have been feeling out of sorts for a few weeks, don’t ignore it. Give yourself the same care that you give to everyone else, and schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about your depression. I suffer from depression and had to learn how to take the necessary steps to deal with it in a healthy manner. Take care of you friend!

 

[latoyia]