Depression is a challenging mental health issue. Unfortunately, it is one of the most common mood disorders that many people struggle with worldwide. It can affect anyone at any age. One of the biggest stigmas is that it only affects certain types of people or certain demographics. A celebrity passes away: "They had so much money; what could they be sad about?" "They were always so happy and laughing in interviews..."
Depression is a vicious beast and, in some severe cases, can cause thoughts of self-harm or even suicide. Because of the rise of mental health issues, many people want to become more aware of the signs to look for when it comes to suicidal depression. The more education given on this very tough subject, the better it will be for the people that need help. Let's review some signs that could indicate that you or someone you know is dealing with this severe depression.
Causes Of Suicidal Depression
Triggers
The word trigger is sometimes thrown around carelessly. However, for those dealing with issues such as depression or past trauma, a trigger is a very serious word. When depression really flares up, it is often because something triggered it. That doesn't mean the person dealing with it can always pinpoint what is causing their symptoms to flare up.
It could be from past bullying, racial profiling, or job loss. It could be from being in a highly stressful job career where there is a lot of responsibility. Grieving the loss of someone can also factor into it. These aren't the only reasons why someone may consider self-harm or suicide. There are just too many reasons that are obvious or not so obvious to list out. The condensed version is this: Any considerable life change or adjustment that has happened to someone recently could be causing these intrusive thoughts.
Self-Esteem Issues
Many people out there, if not everyone, struggles with self-esteem issues. For some people, these issues become so severe that they become very negative about themselves. I'm worthless. I will never measure up. As these thoughts slowly become more prominent, they can become even more intrusive the longer they are around. Which then causes shame and blame to build up.
What to watch for: A person will seemingly talk more about themselves in a very negative light and focus more on the downfalls that come with life. This can then cause thoughts about suicide to rise.
Social Isolation
Withdrawing from social circles or family is one of the more classic symptoms of depression. This isn't necessarily something that someone chooses. The human brain has a terrible way of lying to us.
People are just being nice and don't care about me.
My family doesn't get me at all.
Both of which cause someone to withdraw away from their friends. And that can then morph into:
My friends wouldn't even miss me if I was gone.
No one in my family would care.
It is an absolute vicious circle that can then cause someone to feel even more alone.
What Can Be Done?
If you think someone you know(or yourself) might be showing any of these signs, it's important to reach out for help from a professional as soon as possible. Depression puts many of us in a dark place that can seem as if there is no possible way for the light to return. There is always hope. Anyone in immediate danger can contact the 998 Suicide Crisis Lifeline or go to the nearest emergency room.
If these signs are spotted, and there is no immediate threat, don't hesitate to encourage them or yourself to reach out for depression therapy. We are here to support you no matter what you are going through.