It is an undeniable fact that in life, you are going to have more than a few bad days. There will be days when stress and sadness make it hard to do anything, and these days may have you asking yourself: am I depressed, or is today just a really bad day? It is natural to ask yourself this in times of struggle, and even healthy, for identifying your feelings is the first step to resolving them. Similarly, recognising signs of depression early and acting on them is vital to overcoming it.
However, it can sometimes be more difficult than you’d think to differentiate between depression and regular sadness or stress. For starters, they can often feel very similar. Both stress and depression can cause issues with memory and concentration, changes to your sleep and eating habits, and feelings of anxiety and frustration. In large doses, stress can lead you to feel apathetic and hopeless; both characteristics of depression.
But there are essential differences between normal sadness or stress and depression. You can figure out which you’re feeling by asking yourself a few simple questions.
How long have you felt this way?
A key way of figuring out whether your issues are signs of depression, or simply the result of a few bad days, is to look at the length of time that you have been experiencing them. Your negative feelings may be signs of depression if they are felt every day for at least 2 weeks. On the other hand, if they only last for a day or two, they’re likely just a result of regular stress or sadness.
What feelings can you identify?
You can also identify whether your feelings are a result of depression by assessing their root or cause. Natural sadness or stress usually has a traceable source, such as overwork or an argument with a friend. In these cases, once you find the source and resolve it, you should find that your sadness or stress are alleviated, even if only slightly.
However, depression is different. While events can contribute to depression, people often find that there is no easily identifiable root for their depression. Just as how physical ailments can arise without reason, so can mental health issues. So if you’ve tried removing all external sources of sadness and find that your negative feelings are still present, this could point to depression as a possible reason.
Are your feelings constructive?
In a similar vein, the natural feelings of stress and sadness actually have functions and can therefore be beneficial. You feel sad when there is something wrong in your life, and this sadness pushes you to make positive changes. Equally, stress, in small doses, can be a motivator for you to find solutions to your problems.
Depression, however, is destructive rather than constructive. There are no benefits to it, and while it is possible to find happiness while depressed, there are always the underlying feelings of despair and hopelessness. Identifying this distinction can show you the difference between being depressed and just having a bad day.
How complex are your feelings?
Usually, when you’re sad about something, you’re just sad. Maybe there’s a mixture of sadness and anger, but most times you can figure out what you’re feeling and why. Depression is more complex than just sadness or stress, even sometimes to the point that you can’t actually pinpoint what you’re feeling. When you’re depressed, sadness can include feelings of hopelessness, despair, a lack of motivation or purpose. A complex mixture of negative emotions may not be a sign of depression by itself, but combined with the other signs, it can definitely indicate depression rather than regular sadness or stress.
Do you suffer from suicidal thoughts?
A big indicator of depression is if you find yourself thinking suicidal thoughts, contemplating suicide or any type of self-harm. This is a sign that you should urgently speak to your GP. Suicidal thoughts may be an unhealthy response to stress, so if you do have them, it is important that you seek professional help. If you are feeling suicidal, please reach out to the Samaritans urgently on 116 123.
What to do if you do have depression
If your feelings are a result of depression, there are things to be done to manage them, and we are here to support you. At WellBe, we have therapists and counsellors who specialise in depression, so please reach out to our wellbeing coordinators to book a session. If you are worried that you have depression, don’t suffer in silence, and be sure to consult with your GP.
By Adena Dewar
WellBe is spearheading the way to a brighter future for corporate wellness. Our innovative portal is scientifically designed and tailored to each individual employee to improve their wellbeing. We specialise in a range of services from coaching and therapists, to meditation and reading materials. Our aim is to reduce workplace stress that costs UK businesses £42 billion per year. Get in touch with us by visiting our site wellbe.global for more information.
