Many people assume depression is being sad all of the time. This misconception can leave people who have this mental illness unaware that depression is what they are going through. While a never-ending sadness can be a symptom, there is so much more to this illness that needs to be talked about.

1. Being Silent

Have you ever had something to say about how you feel but you just don’t know how to put it into words? One of the most significant differences between sadness and depression is that sadness is easy to articulate while depression is this confusing mess. If you find that you can’t put your thoughts and feelings into words and an overwhelming sadness overcomes you, and you can’t explain it, it may be depression.

2. Poor Hygiene

Many people with depression hate talking about this symptom because they find it embarrassing. People with depression can go weeks without showering because they just don’t want to. Time flies by, and they can’t even remember the last time they washed their face. They can go weeks without brushing their teeth and combing their hair because it just doesn’t matter anymore.

2. Apathy

Many people who think of depression envision someone crying or being overly upset. But that isn’t always the case. Depression can suck all of the emotions out of you, making you feel empty inside unable to feel. This includes compassion towards others and especially yourself.

3. Exhaustion

You may not be eating which causes you to feel tired. You may not have moved in the past five hours which makes you sleepy. You may be having a constant battle in your head trying to shove rationality in your brain when there is no room for it because you are so filled with nothingness. When most people say they are tired, it is from a long day of hard work. When you have depression, you can feel that exhaustion from doing absolutely nothing.

4. Fear

The stigma against mental health has gotten better over the years, but you still may have a paranoia that no one understands, no one will care, or it’s embarrassing that you feel the way that you do. Your friends might tell you that they will be there for you, but when you need someone there for you every day you don’t want to be a bother. This can make you turn inward with your emotions and make it harder to dig yourself out of the dark hole of depression.

5. Shame

Being short with people because you don’t know what to say, feeling like you overreacted because your brain is already overwhelmed, or neglecting to nurture relationships because you can’t even nurture yourself can make you feel guilty and ashamed. It can make you feel like you don’t deserve the help your looking for because you’ve done nothing for yourself, to begin with. It can make you ashamed of who you are because you have concluded that you are your depression when you aren’t.

6. Promiscuity

When you have depression, you can find yourself having risky behavior such as doing drugs or having a lot of sex. It might make you feel wanted at the moment when you don’t even want yourself. This can be a problem because risky behavior means irrational thinking. Irrational thinking in sex can lead to STDs and unwanted pregnancies. It can also make you feel like your friends and family look down on your for your actions when all you want to do is just feel.

Depression is a serious condition that if it goes untreated can lead to health problems and even death. It is so important that we know what depression feels like and more than just general symptoms. We can overlook how our days are crumbling right beneath our feet because we don’t relate to what depression looks like on paper.

If you are struggling, check out this article about how CBD can help you get through depression. Seeing a therapist can also help you figure out how to retrain your brain, so you think more positively. You don’t have to go through this alone; it’s best not to. And CBD can help you along the way.