Depression is real but it's also not obvious to many people. Whether it's your Little in your sorority or your real life sister or friend, it's important for you to recognize signs of depression and be there for them as they tackle the tough road of getting back in balance. To put it plainly, depression is intense sadness that lasts for long periods of time. According to WebMd these are signs you are suffering from depression when you have at least five of the following symptoms at the same time:
- A depressed mood during most of the day, particularly in the morning
- Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
- Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
- Insomnia (an inability to sleep) or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day
- Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide(not just fearing death)
- A sense of restlessness or being slowed down
- Significant weight loss or weight gain
But, it's important to recognize an important thing: many people try to hide their depression. They hide it by doing impulsive or often extreme things like doing a drastic change. They have high highs but very low lows. Don't take their actions personally; they are fighting a battle that they don't realize shouldn't be fought alone. How you can help is recommending they go to a doctor to be clinically diagnosed. There are several ways to help depression both medically and therapeutically.
