1. Research shows that about 75 percent of people who have periods in which they are “almost depressed” eventually have a major depressive episode or clinical depression. You want to avoid this downward spiral if possible because clinical depression can lead to serious problems, including a four-times-greater-than-average risk for heart attack, an increased risk for suicide, as well as feelings of hopelessness and distress.
2. Slight depression or a prolonged period of sadness causes distress in its own right. Dr Carson’s team recently completed a study where they found that people who are almost depressed (who have a couple of the signs of depression but not at the clinical level) report lower life satisfaction, more symptoms of anxiety and more problems in their relationships and marriages than people who have no signs of depression.
So check in with yourself (or ask a loved one) and see if you notice any of the following changes from normal behavior over the next month and throughout the holiday. If you answer yes to them, then it’s time to take action to turn things around.
•Getting easily irritated over little things
•Making excuses not to go out with friends and preferring to be alone
•Trouble sleeping
•Thinking food doesn’t taste very good
•Having trouble getting up for activities that you used to look forward to
•Losing your sense of humor
•Losing interest in sex
•Trouble concentrating, even on a favorite TV show or book
•Feeling tired, even after you’ve slept a normal amount of time
If you notice these changes, don’t let yourself linger in the almost depressed state. Take some action. Here are a few suggestions:
• Exercise: 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week has been shown to lift negative mood.
• Spend more time doing activities that you enjoy: Even if you’re not enjoying these activities as much as you used to, pleasurable activities activate parts of the brain that become deactivated during clinical depression.
• Socialize with friends: Even if you don’t really feel like it, being with others who care about you is important in maintaining or regaining a positive mood.
• Think positively: If you catch yourself thinking negatively, consider how you could look at yourself, your circumstances, or others from a different perspective that’s more optimistic and realistic. This has been shown to decrease depressive feelings.
• Express your negative mood creatively: Write about it, paint it or put it to music.
• Need more?
You can find out more about depression, its signs and what to do about it in the newly updated depression assessment on afterdeployment.org.
By recognizing and acting to defuse early signs of depression, you can avoid more serious mood problems and get back on top of your game.
Known by military spouses around the world as The Direction Diva, Judy Davis is a motivational speaker, military lifestyle blogger, and author of Right Side Up: Finding Your Way When Military Life Turns You Upside Down as well as “My Son’s Battle” in Stories Around The Table. A military spouse herself, Judy is known to reveal the unspoken truths of military life and provide action oriented solutions to military families across the nation. Visit http://TheDirectionDiva.com for her blog/ speaking topics and military spouse’s information and http://LivingThruCrisis.com for resources addressing the issue of teen suicide ideation, depression and addiction.