5 Early Signs of a Depressive Episode

This video is about behaviours that can predict whether a depressive episode is developing. This video talks about isolation, Messiness, Anhedonia, motivation issues, hygiene problems, sleep and eating issues and guilt.

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** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional. If anything in this video was distressing please consider calling LifeLine 131114 **

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Isolation
01:30 - Messiness
02:08 - Hygiene
02:39 - Sleep and Food
03:13 - Guilt
03:50 - Closing Comments

[LJ-mqkc]

The loss of motivation is awful: people call you lazy while you watch your life ebb away.

[kathleech]

Irritability is an early warning sign that is often misunderstood.

[Cara-yhis]

It’s oddly comforting to hear that all of these behaviours I’ve been showing are a real mental health thing rather than a “I’m a total failure thing”. The accuracy is unsettling but validating, so thank you.

[emmawalls]

I always seem to forget that depression doesn’t just go away… I haven’t had a depressive episode in months. I always notice the signs too late and I hate that there’s no specific trigger. It’s so frustrating and disheartening to feel like you can do nothing to stop this… just gotta ride it out

[laboulonnaise]

To whomever may be reading and going through tough times, focus on one thing only: open the door. I know it's hard but you must open the door

[irmenotu]

I have severe depression and have attempted suicide twice and thought about it countless times. One of the things that has helped me is called finding an anchor. Its a thing or a thought that buys you time so that you can get help and it doesn't have to make sense. Maybe your anchor is your pillow, or your favorite shirt or the left over take away in the fridge. Try to think about 2 or 3 things you like about your anchor even if they seem tiny and insignificanct. 1 teeny tiny good thing to focus on can buy you those crucial seconds or minutes to get help.

[Diegesis]

I've felt like life isn't worth living for like 20 years. You get used to it.

[kikfull]

Thank you. I'm currently trying to put myself out of a depressive episode that started the moment I came back from a weekend away. Not able to clean up, shower, only order online to eat and always or too little or too much. I'm extremely tired. I do not like anything and I fear that even though I've been in therapy for 10 years, it will be like this forever. Good days and if I'm lucky weeks and then, boom, major depressive episodes. You're really not alone. I do not know how but I still keep fighting to be here.

[KylaElliott]

I wish people understood that depression looks different for everyone it’s not laying in bed crying like on tv. Great video, thank you. ❤

[schafiderfinsternis]

Thank you for this good summary! I've been through a severe case of depression, worked for years to get out of it and can confirm that the thoughts and effects during a depression are as described.

I'd like to add two things: In my experience, depression is a very very individual condition. It's effects, the thoughts that torture you, your behavioral changes can vary a lot! My version took ALL my motivation, others became agressive, some had hallucinations, some had concentration problems and even lost their ability to find the right words. So my advise is, if you experience a strange behavior that doesn't quite fit to yourself, consider it a possible side effect of an impending depression.

Second thought: A depression can take a LOT of your self esteem and your self confidence. Therefore, some behaviors like in part 2 and 3, can also be explained with a painful feeling of not deserving anything. Clean house, clean me? I'm not worth it. I don't deserve it. If my appartment and myself look ugly and are smelly, this shows my surroundings perfectly how worthless I am. If you wish to help a depressed person showing such a behavior, react with kindness. "I see that everything is a little too much for you right now. Let me help you out. And don't worry, I won't tell. What in your household bothers you the most?" is something you could say. And also: "I want you to feel better. Why don't you enjoy a refreshing bath or shower? And I really mean ENJOY. Take your time, as much as you like, without a bad conscience, because I want you to do this. To enjoy this. You mean a lot to me."

[PTSD]

I used the suicide hotline before when I lost my job, about to lose my home and was bed ridden with my anxiety. I didn't have suicidal thoughts, yet, and I told them that but they said it was good I called them. They said it was better to call them than not. They said calling them when you have the thoughts is like waiting to go to the hospital after you lose 2 liters of blood and not right after you cut yourself. It gets worse over time not better and the sooner you can get help the better the healing can go. I felt embarrassed when I called but they understood and helped me. Do NOT be afraid to ask for help.

[Tekayo]

I don't feel like myself anymore. I feel so much unmotivated. I can sleep for 36 hours, isolate and switch off my phone so I don't talk to anyone

[jamesclint]

Living that life.
For as long as I can remember.

[peacehope]

Even commenting here is taking it out of me. The messiness thing is so true. I'm normally extremely clean and tidy. I've actually got OCD. But currently the mess is building, and I have no motivation to sort it...

[muhamedshafi]

The feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness had the great impact on my life. The day came where i would think about what it would be like without me and started to question my existence. When that started, Even the little things like if my pen fell out from my hand, my brain will make up a whole new story and connect everything with guilt. Everything around me became my fault and it's so frustrating. Then i started lying in bed whole day and my parents scolded me for being so unhygienic and not doing my daily chores. I have cut out every friendship from my contact and whatever i did, my mind tell me that i am not worth it or worth any happiness. So i neglected the things i love and lost interest in everything. Now everyday seems so hard to go through. This never ending cycle just eats me up😣

[sean_mccadden]

Other signs I personally have experienced is irritability and excessive amounts of anxiety which I know goes along with loss of focus. Also something I experience is obsession of being productive as an overcompensation for the lack of motivation which often leads me to burnout

[birdbrainz]

All of this is so spot on. However, I would like to add that you don't have to wait until your depression is "bad enough" to seek treatment. I put off treatment for years because I was comparing my symptoms to those of others, and I thought that I'd be wasting everyone's time if I sought treatment without being in full on crisis mode. If you feel that your symptoms are having a negative impact on your life, then your depression is "bad enough." Often times, it can be really hard to accurately identify the severity of your own depression, particularly if you've been living with the condition for a long time. This is something that I really wish that I had understood years ago. I became so accustomed to just struggling with everything that I didn't even realize how severe my depression and anxiety were until I started taking medication for it.
To anyone who is considering talking to a medical professional about a mental health problem, I wish you the best of luck. The best advise that I can possibly give you is to keep advocating for yourself. There are all kinds of internal and external barriers to care, but it is well worth the effort of finding a good provider who listens to you and being as honest as you are able. It can often feel as though we are burdening others when we seek out treatment, but it's better to burden them as living person than a dead person.

[Vanness]

I really appreciate your videos! I have chronic depression and “loss of joy” is such a good way to describe it

[maryjenison]

ALL 5. Thankyou. I have been to the clinic.

[TheLibermania]

Now this is the stuff i don't want to hear.

Technically everything (except showers being a huge task) occur to me. And i think my life is going mostly great because i'm an introvert who doesn't want to bother other people (isolate myself).

And that is the reason why i don't like to talk to my Neurologist (who is also a psychiatrist). I'm afraid she would talk me into something while i'm most of the time happy with my life.