Depression has increasingly become a challenge that many people around the world have to contend with on a daily basis. This blog covers the basics – how to identify if someone is dealing with depression, the stigma associated with depression, and simple steps to overcome depression.

While it is based on the research done by your coach Manoj Radhakrishna – host at RareErth podcast and seasoned banker, who has curated inputs from various experts in the field, it cannot be viewed as a comprehensive guide. It is more of a brief overview on managing depression, and we do not recommend that you rely on it to diagnose or treat yourself or someone you know. You should definitely visit a clinical psychologist for the appropriate diagnosis/intervention.

What is Depression?

To set some context, over 264 million people around the world suffer from depression as per the World Health Organisation (WHO), and in India, 1 in 5 people show signs of depression. India, in fact, ranks the highest on the depression scale presently, followed by China and the US. These are worrying statistics if you pause and ponder over them for a minute.

There’s the added risk that the term depression is often misunderstood as merely feeling sad. Think about it – we all have bad days when we receive unfortunate news, or go through phases with an unpleasant experience. But these are situational, and when those circumstances change, those feelings tend to disappear as well. There is thus significant difference between ‘being’ depressed and ‘feeling’ depressed.

Depression (as classified by DSM-5, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is a mental health disorder wherein a person experiences prolonged periods of sadness and loneliness resulting in biological, behavioural, and social changes in the individual. It is not to be taken lightly or confused with fleeting emotions of sorrow.

The main problem is that unlike a physical illness, depression cannot be identified as easily. There are however a few symptoms that you can look out for. While you may feel you’ve exhibited some of these symptoms or observed them in those around you, at least 4-5 of these aspects have to come together for us to be able to say that a person is depressed.

Symptoms of Depression

• Lack of enthusiasm and drive: A visible sign that you may be depressed is losing interest or withdrawing from hobbies and activities that you once enjoyed
• Lack of energy: Look out for overwhelming and unexplainable bouts of fatigue that can often prevent you from getting even daily tasks accomplished on time
• Lack of concentration: Anxiety and depression usually go hand in hand, manifesting in a lack of focus, nervousness, and fidgety behaviour in general
• Changes in sleep pattern: This can manifest in either of the extremes – hypersomnia (oversleeping) or insomnia (being unable to sleep). These are usually interlinked – depression can fuel insomnia, and lack of restful sleep can lead to anxiety
• Changes in appetite: This can vary person to person, with some experiencing an increased appetite and weight gain, while others lose complete interest in food and end up losing weight
• Avoidance of eye contact: Depressed people tend to keep away from others in social situations as compared to happier people who may seek eye contact. They also tend to avoid large social gatherings as far as possible

Coming to another aspect concerning depression, social stigma is still a major cause for worry. Studies have shown that it takes almost 10 years for a normal person battling depression to disclose their condition to the outside world. The fear of judgment and being ostracised leads more than half the people battling mental illness to avoid seeking help. Herein lies the real danger.

More on this stigma around depression in our upcoming blog post. Keep reading to expand your understanding of the subject. Meanwhile, assimilate the symptoms you just read about so it can assist you or someone you care about in seeking help. Medical intervention at the right time can go a long way in dealing with any mental health disorder.