Larch blossom.
7 Things People With
Hidden Depression Do
Robert Locke
People who feel depressed
are usually easy enough to spot: they may be gloomy, sad,
and listless. But
what about those who have hidden depression?
They may be an extrovert and
good company! This is the problem with concealed depression
as these sufferers are
experts in disguising the real situation. How can we spot them,
and how can we help? Here
are 10 typical things that people with hidden depression
do to help us understand
that something is not quite right.
1. They may be outgoing
and cheerful
Researchers at the
University of Rochester Medical Center found that depression
was hard to spot when people
had a cheerful disposition, especially if they were elderly.
The research team had thought that the introverts would
be the ones who would have difficulty
in coming out about their
depression but it seems that the opposite may be true.
We should not take it for
granted that a cheerful and sociable person may be immune
from depression. We should
be on the lookout for some indicative signs and above all,
we should always be empathic
listeners.
2. They may hide their
depression
There is some interesting
research on the attitude that Europeans and Australians
have towards depression.
There is so much stigma attached
to depression in Australia
that many sufferers are
determined not to reveal it at all. They may feel embarrassed
or simply fear that they may
lose their job – reflected in the number of sick days taken
because of mental health
problems. The figures show that Australians were taking off 14 days
for a bout of depression
compared to an average of 36 days for Europeans.
3. They may need healing
or closure from some past trauma
Imagine the perfect hostess:
she has great kids, a rewarding career and a stable marriage.
It still may be that there
is a painful episode in that person’s life
which has never been
properly healed. Psychologists have an acronym for this type of person which is
the PHDP (Perfectly-Hidden-Depressed Person).
The outward display of
confidence and happiness is in sharp contrast to what is going on inside. The problem is often ignored, especially
by the sufferer who may end up committing suicide.
The tragedy is that nobody
was ever able to spot the signs,
or that the sufferer never
had the courage to talk to someone. We should always listen carefully when a
friend or loved one talks to us about exhaustion and anxiety.
4. They may have abnormal
eating habits
Most experts now believe
that there may be a strong link between eating disorders
and depression. These are
two separate illnesses; though one may lead to the other,
or they may arise
simultaneously. More and more men are suffering from eating disorders.
There may be many causes
such as media pressures, body image/exercise, and depression.
If you notice that a loved
one has appetite changes, try to talk to her/him about them
and urge them to get
treatment. Hidden depression may well be the trigger here.
5. They may be
non-committal about their happiness
Very often, people with
hidden depression display a lack of enthusiasm for things
they used to love doing. If
the person claims that they are certainly not depressed
but they just don’t care
anymore, this may well be a sign that something is amiss.
If you read Eve Wood’s book, 10 Steps to Take Charge of Your
Emotional Life,
you will find more examples
of how discovering self-empowerment can be the answer
to coming to terms with
depression and anxiety. There are also useful chapters
on how counseling,
medication, or alternative treatments are possible treatment options.
Getting the person to talk
about their problems is usually the first step in seeking treatment.
6. They may display
irritation and anger
We usually associate
depression with apathy, helplessness, melancholic thoughts and crying.
But there are other symptoms
of depression which often go undetected because they are simply dismissed as
temporary outbursts. They are assumed to be just blips on a person’s radar
and can be safely ignored –
the truth is that angry outbursts and being irritable are often manifestations
of depression. Many men choose this way of expressing their depression.
7. They may not be getting
enough sleep
If your loved one is
complaining about not getting enough sleep (or even oversleeping),
it could be a warning sign
that there is something wrong. These sleep problems
may be just the outward sign
of a deeper and more troubling cause which could be anxiety, lethargy or
depression. Sleep problems and depression are very often closely connected.
It is always worth probing
gently to find out what the cause might be,
if the person is prepared to
open up.
Many cases of depression go
undetected and untreated, often with tragic results.
Between 10% to 15% of people
with severe, untreated depression commit suicide.
As we have seen above,
people may hide it or fake it.
Sometimes, they just keep it
a dark secret which they never want to reveal. In addition,
there are those who have a
different public image from their own private and tormented selves.
The challenge is to look out
for possible signs and help the person to get treatment.
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/7-things-people-with-hidden-depression.html
8 Things People With Hidden Depression Do
Depression often co-occurs with joint
diseases
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