Am I getting depressed?
Anyone who has worked with me will inevitably hear me say “you are allowed to have the full range of human emotions”. Not every moment of sadness, anger, worry, or fear is an indicator your mental or emotional state is worsening or your treatment is not working.
So, how can you distinguish whether or not you are experiencing a mental health episode?
As I explore someone’s experiences, context is important to me.
If you get angry, experience crying spells or decide to end a relationship, I am curious about what led up to these experiences. Did you feel disrespected, dismissed or invalidated? It is reasonable to feel angry as a response. Did something unpleasant happen in your life? It would be understandable to cry, and perhaps cry often during a period of time. Are you unhappy in a relationship that feels one-sided, despite multiple attempts to make it better? Bye bye honey..
When it comes to mood, thinking and behavior, what may be typical for you may be unusual for someone else. Regardless, these experiences become problematic, and can be considered “disorders”, when they are a significant change from how you normally function, or are experiences you want to change, and cause impairment or distress in your life. The areas in your life that are likely to be affected include your ability to work, go to school, volunteer or do other activities you enjoy, your ability to take care of your basic needs, and your ability to engage in relationships with others. Your coping skills are either nonexistent or they no longer work.
General signs of mental health disorders:
Sleep disruptions: Are you sleeping more or less than usual? Are you getting enough sleep but frequently wake up or still feel fatigued?
Changes in appetite: Sudden changes in appetite, such as eating more or less than normal. Not having any desire to eat and can go days with little to no food.
Emotional instability: Are you crying suddenly, with no understandable trigger? Do you suddenly shift from feeling fine to feeling irritable or snappy? Feeling anxious or panicked when there is nothing you need to worry about?
Changes in thinking, remembering or concentrating: Thinking that people are out to get you, difficulty recalling information, or your mind just going blank.
Changes in behavior: Are you isolating from others? Stepping away from hobbies and other enjoyable activities? Consuming more alcohol or drugs? Engaging in risky behaviors you don’t normally engage in?
Thoughts of self-harm or suicide? Considering hurting or killing someone else?
It is common to experience periods of being worried, feeling sad or stressed or just low energy; it doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting depressed or that you have anxiety. Even having a change in mood, in addition to one of the experiences listed above, doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mental health disorder. However, if you are experiencing multiple changes, in areas related to mood, thinking, or behavior, for a period of time (usually two weeks or more) and it is creating distress in your life, please seek additional support. There is help available.
