Warning Signs of Severe Depression
Depression is a common mental health disorder that can affect a wide range of age group. Regardless if you are a teenager or an adult, you are as vulnerable to it as any other individual. Nowadays, there has been an increase in the statistical rate of people suffering from depression. And sadly, it affects lives in a debilitating manner.
Depression, in general, has levels of severity. Nevertheless, people suffering from a milder condition are unlikely to function normally as we all think. Even with mild depression, an individual suffers from feelings of helplessness, sadness, and other negative emotions relating to the condition. This, even in its mildest form, can hinder an individual to participate in normal day-to-day activities.
If even with mild depression a person struggles to function normally, what more is like if one suffers from a severe case of depression? This is why, it is important to recognize warning signs of the condition. After all, the best way to help someone suffering from it is to understand what he or she is going through.
Symptoms of Severe Depression
1. Irregular Sleeping Patterns
There is a common belief that people suffering from depression are most likely to suffer from insomnia alone. However, this is not entirely true. Some individuals with depression also tend to sleep excessively in an attempt to withdraw from engaging in daily activities. So, in general, you have to watch out for both irregularity in sleeping patterns regardless if a person lacks sleep or excessively does.
2. Change in Behavior
Severe depression in an individual can trigger changes in personality and behavior. An increase in irritability and sensitivity is one of the most common signs manifested by an individual suffering from the disorder. Furthermore, a person can dwell on negative ruminations that can intensify negative emotions as well.
3. Psychotic Symptoms
In more severe cases, psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations can possibly develop. These can be brought upon by persistent thoughts about bad happenings that they remain engraved in the mind.
4. Suicidal Thoughts
The scariest thing about severe depression is the suicide risk that entails it. Oftentimes, people suffering from this condition are most likely to talk about ending their lives.