Understanding Some Uncommon Signs Of Depression
If one of your parents has suffered with depression, or if your sibling has suffered with the mental illness, then you are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to experience depression yourself. If you have depression, then you should know that you are likely to see promising results if you seek treatment through medication or psychotherapy. However, you will need to recognize some of the symptoms of depression first. You may know about the most common ones that include feelings of sadness, irritability, reduced energy, and thoughts of suicide. But there are some other symptoms that you may not know about. The uncommon symptoms should be considered as well.
Body Aches
If your body seems to ache more than normal, then this may actually be a sign of depression. In fact, certain body pains and depression can be caused by the same neurotransmitter dysfunction. The neurotransmitters are involved are serotonin and norepinephrine, and you are likely to feel chronic pain if you have a depression problem. The severity of the pain can actually inform you of the severity of your mental illness. The more pain you feel, the more depressed you will be. Both of these things occur when serotonin and norepinephrine levels are low, and they get worse as levels reduce. The neurotransmitters associated with depression have a number of different tasks. These tasks include sending clear messages throughout the body or through the brain. The chemicals are released and absorbed by neurons. This is the message sending process that tells the body how to feel both physically and emotionally.
If your body does not produce enough serotonin and norepinephrine, then messages will not be clear and correct. This can cause the feelings of sadness as well as soreness. In many cases, you will feel joint or muscle pain, and sometimes gastrointestinal discomfort as well.
You should understand that joint pain may not be a clear indicator of depression on its own. You will usually have other symptoms. If you are not clear about whether depression is causing muscle or joint issues, then it is wise to work with a general physician to see if there is an underlying cause, like an arthritis condition. Blood tests and imaging can help to evaluate your problem. If a physical ailment is ruled out, then depression treatment should be considered. While psychotherapy or counseling may help with your mental state, you should think about opting for medication as well. This will help you boost the neurotransmitters in the body so that both mood and pain signals can be regulated properly.
Poor Emotional Recognition In Others
If you have a hard time figuring out how others feel, then this may mean that you are depressed. This is also true if you have a difficult time reading facial expressions or body language. Specifically, studies show that people with major depression have a much harder time reading a facial expression as a happy or sad one. This can lead to poor or unsatisfactory social interactions with others. You may notice that you have a difficult time meeting new people or that people are uncomfortable around you. This might be because you are not reading social cues properly and you are acting differently than how others expect you to act.
It can be difficult to determine if you merely have low social intelligence or poor people skills, or if you have a depression condition that is getting in the way of your brain's ability to clearly recognize emotions in others. If you feel that your social interactions are awkward and forced, and others have informed you that you do not read people well, then depression might be to blame. Speaking with a counselor or psychotherapist can greatly benefit you. The professional will not only be able to recognize a depression issue, but he or she will be able to provide you with pointers on how to encourage more positive social interactions.
For more information and help, talk with a health professional, such as those at The Genen Group.