Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders around the world. Over the last several years, rates of depression have increased. Individuals who struggle with depression are more likely to develop alcoholism or substance abuse disorders as they attempt to self-medicate. For this reason, it’s important to understand the hidden signs of depression so that you can recognize them in yourself and figure out when it’s time to get help.
Physical Hidden Signs of Depression
Physical signs of depression might go unnoticed if you focus on just one at a time, but when combined, it can paint a picture of bigger issues. Some of the most common physical signs include the following:
- Headaches
- No energy
- Diminished sex drive
- Poor sleep patterns
- Unexplained aches or pains
- Constipation
- Changes in weight or appetite
Emotional Hidden Signs of Depression
Some of the most common emotional signs include the following:
- Tearfulness
- Hopelessness
- Frustration
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Angry outbursts with no other explanation
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in once enjoyable activities
- Sadness
- Emptiness
- Irritability
Other Hidden Signs of Depression
Then there are the other signs, which include:
- General fatigue
- Negative self-talk
- Problems concentration
- Forgetfulness
- Alcohol or drug use
Major Hidden Signs of Depression
Many of the more hidden signs of depression mirror the signs that someone with high-functioning depression might have.
Inability to Find Pleasure in Achievements
Someone who struggles with hidden signs of depression might have an inability to find any pleasure or reward in their achievements. For this reason, they might regularly take on new tasks, always volunteering or accepting additional roles, and perform additional duties at work, yet none of it brings them the reward they are searching for.
Changing Tasks Regularly
It’s not uncommon for someone with hidden signs of depression to constantly battle feelings of worthlessness. It’s these feelings that drive an individual to take on new tasks, overwork themselves, or volunteer too much, burning out in an attempt to hide or resolve those feelings of worthlessness.
These feelings, however, don’t go away no matter how much is achieved.
This means that individuals will change their tasks regularly, taking on not just a new assignment at work but a different assignment at work, volunteering not just in an additional way but in a new way with a different group. This regular task changing relates back to the inability to find positive feelings or to overcome feelings of worthlessness while performing any achievement and the subsequent search for new things that might possibly hold satisfaction.
Isolation
Another hidden sign of depression is continual isolation. When individuals struggle with hidden signs of depression, they may not realize it, but they tend to isolate themselves from friends and family. A lot of this isolation is driven by feelings of worthlessness and continual self-criticism about other tasks that have to be completed.
Self-Criticism
Someone with hidden signs of depression will struggle with continual self-criticism, whereby they regularly criticize themselves for not doing enough, doing too much, changing tasks, or not being able to otherwise improve what feels like negativity from within.
Avoidance
While an individual with hidden signs of depression might isolate themselves socially, they’ll also use avoidance tactics to stay away from anything that brings up negative emotions. Someone who is overwhelmed with feelings of having trouble being productive one day might be encouraged to do meditation, but as soon as they sit quietly with themselves, they are faced with self-criticism and negative thoughts, so they avoid meditation entirely because they don’t want to sit with those feelings.
Sitting with those feelings would require facing them and admitting that they are struggling, and subsequently getting help.
Getting Treatment for Depression and Substance Abuse
If you are struggling with these hidden signs of depression and you have turned to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate, it might be time to reach out to our facility for help. Our luxury addiction treatment center offers several programs with different individual and group therapies. We can help you recognize the underlying causes of your depression, whether you have acute symptoms because of trauma or a depressive disorder because of something else.
Overall, hidden signs of depression can be physical, emotional, and behavioral, and include general feelings of hopelessness, negative self-talk or self-criticism, isolation, avoidance tactics, and an inability to find pleasure in any achievements or hobbies. Those with these hidden signs are at a higher risk of alcoholism or drug abuse to try and self-medicate, but with the right type of treatment center, you can get help for both.
Reach out to our dual diagnosis treatment center today to learn how we can help!
