{"id":774,"date":"2025-11-06T08:24:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T08:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/?p=774"},"modified":"2025-11-06T08:24:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T08:24:52","slug":"how-to-identify-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/how-to-identify-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"How to identify depression?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depression is more than temporary sadness it\u2019s a serious medical condition that affects how you feel, think, and handle daily activities. Recognizing its signs early can lead to timely help and recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/what-are-the-5-main-symptoms-of-depression\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/what-are-the-5-main-symptoms-of-depression\/\"><strong>Common symptoms<\/strong> <\/a>include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Persistent low mood<\/strong>: Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless most of the day, nearly every day for at least two weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Loss of interest<\/strong>: No longer enjoying hobbies, work, or time with loved ones (called anhedonia).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy changes<\/strong>: Constant fatigue or feeling \u201cslowed down,\u201d even after rest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sleep disturbances<\/strong>: Insomnia (trouble falling\/staying asleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping too much).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Appetite\/weight shifts<\/strong>: Significant weight loss or gain without dieting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Concentration problems<\/strong>: Difficulty focusing, remembering, or making decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feelings of worthlessness<\/strong>: Excessive guilt or feeling like a burden.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical symptoms<\/strong>: Unexplained aches, headaches, or digestive issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Suicidal thoughts<\/strong>: Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide with or without a plan. <strong>This is an emergency; seek help immediately.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Red flags that<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/life\/health-wellness\/2025\/04\/12\/what-is-depression\/82895646007\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/life\/health-wellness\/2025\/04\/12\/what-is-depression\/82895646007\/\"> distinguish depression<\/a> from normal sadness<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Symptoms last <strong>2+ weeks<\/strong> and interfere with work, school, or relationships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intensity feels overwhelming and doesn\u2019t lift even during positive events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You may notice withdrawal from social contacts, neglecting self-care, or increased irritability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Risk factors<\/strong> to watch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Family history of depression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Major life stressors (loss, trauma, financial problems)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chronic illness or certain medications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Substance abuse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How to confirm<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Track symptoms for 2 weeks using a mood journal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consult a <strong>doctor or mental health professional<\/strong> they use tools like PHQ-9 questionnaire.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rule out medical causes (thyroid issues, vitamin deficiencies).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What to do<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reach out to a trusted friend or family member.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contact a mental health hotline (e.g., Kenya Mental Health Helpline 1190).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a GP or psychiatrist appointment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remember: Depression is treatable with therapy (CBT), medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are not alone over 280 million people worldwide live with depression. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Depression is more than temporary sadness it\u2019s a serious medical condition that affects how you feel, think, and handle daily activities. Recognizing its signs early can lead to timely help and recovery. Common symptoms include: Red flags that distinguish depression from normal sadness: Risk factors to watch: How to confirm: What to do: You are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=774"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":776,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions\/776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindfulsolutionswa.com\/faqs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}