6 Less Obvious Signs of Depression

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You might have heard about the more common symptoms of depression such as tiredness, feelings of low worth, inability to concentrate, or suicidal thinking, or attempts, but what about the less obvious signs? Knowing these less common signs of depression can help you know when it might be time to see a professional.

Time stamps:

1. Inconsistent sleep schedule (0:58)

2. You seem irritable or frustrated on a daily basis (1:49)

3. Your happiness seems forced (2:31)

4. You have an obsessive sense of responsibility (3:11)

5. You work extra hard to stay busy (3:57)

6. You compartmentalize your feelings (4:33)

Disclaimer: This video is purely for informative purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. If you are struggling with your mental health, we highly recommend that you seek help from a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional.

Article version of this video with sources: https://psych2go.net/signs-of-depression-no-one-talks-about/

Some people might even mistake depression for laziness. To raise awareness, we also made a video on the signs you're depressed, not lazy: https://youtu.be/q8HRGiUeZwc​​

Writer: Aditi N.

Script Editor: Isadora Ho

Script Manager: Kelly Soong

VO: Amanda Silvera

Animator: Nayeli Meneses

YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

References

Coward, L. (2016, September 2). What You Need to Know About “Smiling Depression.” NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/September-2016/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Smiling-Depression%E2%80%9D

Depression and Sleep: Understanding the Connection. (n.d.). Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/depression-and-sleep-understanding-the-connection

Invisible Depression. (2020, October 14). Grace Med. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://gracemed.org/hidden-depression

Korn, C., Sharot, T., Walter, H., Heekeren, H., & Dolan, R. (2013, May 15). Depression is related to an absence of optimistically biased belief updating about future life events. NCBI: National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880066/

Leonard, J. (2019, June 19). Recognizing the hidden signs of depression (T. J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP, Ed.). Medical News Today. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325513

Rutherford, M. R. (2019, September 1). The 10 Core Traits of Perfectly Hidden Depression. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/perfectly-hidden-depression/201909/the-10-core-traits-perfectly-hidden-depression

Sahu, A., Gupta, P., & Chatterjee, B. (2014, January). Depression is More Than Just Sadness: A Case of Excessive Anger and Its Management in Depression. NCBI: National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959025/