The Early Signs of Depression

I struggle to recall any early signs of depression I missed, clues to what Angie may have been going through. On the surface, she seemed to be settling in the same as me; we went to class, did homework together, and hung out when we could. We weren't partying that much and neither of us had ever been into drugs, no depression warning signs I can think of.

In retrospect, Angie's habits were sending a clear signal that she was not well. She got drunk every time we went out - binge drinking they call it. I know now, she was self-medicating, one of the classic early signs of depression. That's Psych 101.

She slept a lot too, thinking back, she'd spend entire days in bed. But that was only once in awhile, right? Digging deeper into my memory, I realized that it was, much more often than that. One of the depression warning signs I somehow failed to notice.

Angie didn't always go to class either. I knew she'd skipped more than once, but whenever I asked her about it, she'd be quick with the excuses "I had a headache, I was too tired, etc." I realize now she was covering up, probably not even aware of her own depression signs.

Only the week before we'd talked about our final psych papers. Angie said she didn't want to share hers with me until grades came in.

The truth was she never turned it in ....she'd never even written it.

Then, not showing up for the final, telling me she'd taken it earlier. Turns out - she skipped the exam, along with all her others. She hadn't done any real work for weeks and was failing most of her classes.

How did I miss the signs of depression that seem so obvious to me now? Angie's depression signs went unnoticed because I wasn't looking.

What Depression Warning Signs Look Like

Just before Christmas break we were at the apartment discussing the holidays to come. She was sitting on the couch in sweats and a t-shirt drinking a beer.

It was barely 10 a.m.

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere," she said, lifting the bottle to me. "Here's to the end of our first semester of college." Drinking alone like this was not Angie.

"How much have you had?" I asked.

"It's been a long semester." She laughed. But her eyes weren't smiling. She was pale, her hair a mess, she didn't look herself.

"Is everything ok? You don't seem right."

"I'm getting better every minute!" "Come on. School's done. Relax and take a breath. It's time to celebrate! Grab a beer. We've earned it."

She had a point, I thought. The past few months had been quite a whirlwind, and I really could use a break…and a drink. Or two.

We drank all day, reminiscing about the past few months. By happy hour we were hanging with friends in our favorite pub. I left, Angie was smashed well before midnight when she was put in a cab to head home.

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Since we were little kids, Angie and I could, and often did talk for hours on end. We would make lavish plans, talk about our hopes and dreams for the future. -She was always so excited, so self motivated.

We didn't do that anymore.

Angie slept way too much, and she rarely wanted to do anything outside the apartment except hit the bars. I had to plead with her to do the simplest things we'd always enjoyed - playing cards, working out, even shopping.

She'd always been in great shape, but recently Angie had packed on the pounds. I attributed that to the "freshman fifteen."

Her attitude had really changed. She was more negative than I'd ever seen her, impatient and irritable. "My hair's a mess, I'm way too fat now" - She seemed so hopeless. Even when we were out partying, she'd hover just outside the group, away from all the fun and comradery.

I never noticed her suffering, never saw the monster that had stolen her hope and caused her such unhappiness.

Angie had been slowly tumbling into a pit of despair.

When the Depression Warning Signs Hit Home

The image of Angie's body will be with me forever. She was in bed. Well, her legs were in the bed. The top half of her body was draped over the edge as if she'd been reaching for something on the nightstand but didn't quite make it.

The bloody knife. Her long dark hair was stuck to the side of her face and wound its way through a pool of blood and vomit on the floor.

....I froze, in shock.

After they took her away I was heartsick, had I just lost my best friend? I wracked my brain to think of something I could have done to prevent this I remembered so many times when Angie's demeanor had seemed off, but I never said anything.

Why hadn't I done something?

-Finish the story *

-Depression is a serious mental disorder that can be cured with treatment. Everyone has a bad day from time to time, but depression is much more than a bad mood or a few bad days.

-While the exact cause of depression is unknown, certain people have a higher risk for depression. It tends to run in families.

-Depression signs in women are more than twice as common than in men. College students also have a somewhat higher incidence of depression than other groups.

-Fortunately, there's a lot of help out there today for depression signs.

-Everyone knows someone who has used the depression drugs Zoloft, Effexor, Xanax or Welbutrin, Paxil, or Cymbalta just to name a few.

-They can all be extremely effective, especially when used in combination with counseling.

-Sometimes counseling alone is all that's really needed to begin the healing process.

-The "mood enhancing" benefits of exercise should not be overlooked.

-The most important thing is that first step. Recognizing that there is a problem and getting the help that's needed.

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The physical signs of depression can be overwhelming and quite disabling, and too many people often miss clear signs of depression because they don't recognize the depression warning signs.

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Dysthymia, (Dis thigh' mia) a mild but chronic form of depression, has the same symptoms as clinical depression, but is less intense. Being a constant type of depression, it can mask the depression warning signs.

-Because people with Dysthymia can have the depressive disorder, sometimes from childhood, friends and family may believe the symptoms to be part of the person's normal character, thereby missing the signs and symptoms of depression altogether.

-The symptoms can then escalate into a major, or clinical depression that tends to have the more intense "episodes" rather than the steady, albeit milder form of depression that Dysthymia may display.

11 Depression Warning Signs

1. - Apathy: The loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable is definitely one of the depression warning signs. A depressed person has no desire to do things that they used to truly enjoy.

This includes hobbies, sporting events, and favorite activities, even sex. Simple things like working out or going shopping are no longer fun.

2. - Appetite or weight changes: Any unexplained change in appetite or weight can be one of the early signs of depression. This includes eating too much or having no desire to eat at all. This can be very dangerous, at times leading to eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia.

3. - Fatigue: The exhaustion that can come with depression is unlike any other type of weariness. Of all the depression warning signs, it can be the most pervasive and the one depression symptom that prevents a depressed person from living a normal life.

4. - Guilt: The symptoms of depression are often invisible to family and friends, guilt accompanies depression, exacerbating feelings of despair pessimism and worthlessness, feeling at fault for everything wrong.

5. - Behavioral changes: Binge drinking, skipping class or work, lying and making excuses; any behavior out of the person's norm is another of the early depression warning signs.

6. - Hopelessness: A depressed person can feel profoundly pessimistic and negativity frequently creeps into a their persona, along with unexplained emptiness and irritability.

7. - Sadness: Being sad for no apparent reason is probably the most common of all depression warning signs, and it includes a persistent "empty" feeling that lingers all day, every day, for months and sometimes years.

8. - Memory: Inability to remember everyday things, lack of concentration and trouble making decisions.

9. -Sleep Problems: Having trouble sleeping. More often a depressed person will get much more than what would be considered the normal amount of sleep, often "hiding" in their sleep patterns.

10. - Withdrawal: depressives tend to shy away from others and spend more and more time alone.

11. - Suicidal thoughts: Depression is a mental disorder. The symptoms of depression are so pervasive and overwhelming, it is not uncommon for suicide to be viewed as the only solution.

-Over 3% of all people with major depression, will commit suicide.

-Up to 60% of all those who do commit suicide will have some form of depression disorder.

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How To Help Overcome The Depression Warning Signs

* The worst day of my life turned into one of my best. I found Angie in time to help her save her own life. At first she hated me because I had ruined her attempt to end the pain.

But thank god I did, I've got my best friend back!

Today she's a survivor and a counselor herself, who helps new college students adjust to the dramatic challenges that college life can represent.

If a loved one shows early depression warning signs, there are things you can do to help:

-Talk. -Yes, just taking some time and talking things over can sometimes be all that is needed. Of course one time only will probably not be all that is needed, but it can be the first step the person needs to accept the fact that they are depressed, and to seek additional help.

-Observe. When someone you love exhibits even subtle changes in behavior, pay close attention to what they do and say. Is it normal for them? Don't be afraid to speak up, intervene if necessary.

-Question. If you suspect a friend or family member is suffering, and has depression signs, ask them to tell you truthfully how they feel and don't let up. Reassure them that you will not judge and that you will go the extra mile to help. And then do it.

-Be There. No matter what they tell you, if you notice depression signs, stick with them and never allow a depressed friend to go through their hell alone. Even if that means seeking professional help together.

-Understand. Depressed people feel a lot of guilt and shame and often blame themselves for their problems. Offer a sincere and sympathetic ear and don't belittle what may seem like unreasonable thoughts and emotions. We all have them sometimes.