Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder (MDD), commonly referred to as depression, is one of the most debilitating problems a person can live with, especially if the depression is persistent and resistant to lower doses of medical treatment.
Whether you yourself are suffering from depression and are wondering if other symptoms are related to the disorder, or else you are concerned for a loved one, then continue reading.
Here are four lesser-known symptoms of major depressive disorder.
1. Physical Effort Is Nigh-On Impossible
Unfortunately, even though issues pertaining to mental health, such as depression, are finally being taken more seriously by the media and the general public alike, there are still a great many people who incorrectly believe that people with depression are lazy.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and sometimes, in the midst of a depressive episode, people who are suffering from this mental disorder find it incredibly difficult to do even the simplest of tasks, like having a shower or walking down the stairs.
2. Problems with Memory
Another key symptom of depression that most people are unaware of is that some individuals tend to experience a lapse in their short-term memory. It is always best to contact your NHS GP if you are experiencing problems with your memory, regardless of whether you have been diagnosed with depression or not.
If you are someone who feels as if their short-term memory is suffering, either due to a depressive episode or for another reason, the following tips may well serve to help you:
- Focus your attention on the task at hand
- Avoid taking in too much information at one time
- Strive to be more organized on a daily basis
- Be more visual when you are planning rather than writing long lists
- Connect new information with information that you already remember
- Keep a practical and up-to-date diary
3. An Inability to Speak Out Loud
For some people with depression, they may feel better when they are surrounded by people, and even find social situations, especially with people whom they have known for a long time, quite therapeutic.
However, a much lesser-known symptom of depression in some people, but one that is far more common than you may think, is the inability to want to speak out loud or speech that is much slower than usual.
4. Forlorn Expression
One of the most common things a person experiencing a depressive episode will hear from family, friends and strangers is that they look tired.
Even though tiredness and fatigue are symptoms of major depressive disorder, the strain and pressure that is metaphorically happening in the mind of a depressed person can often show on the face and in their expression too. Moreover, as depression can sometimes isolate the individual entirely, if a person suffering from depression has made themselves go out, be it to the local shop or indeed to a large party, they will likely be struggling, and this will inevitably show on their face.
