According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their life.
Signs of depression
While the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the rise in depression among many adults in recent years, there are plenty of other everyday factors that contribute to depression, according to LSF Health Systems. These can include loneliness, the death of a loved one, isolation, divorce, financial stresses and substance use disorders, to name a few.
Another contributing factor that’s important to mention is work burnout. It’s crucial that employers harbor safe, mentally supportive work environments for their employees. Additionally, social media is an important one to mention. While many might think this mostly applies to teenagers, it also greatly affects adults.
It’s important to add that, according to some studies, women are more likely to develop depression than men. However, research has found that men are more likely to commit suicide than women. It’s a tough but important topic to address.
People can display many different symptoms of depression, such as severe sadness, moodiness or anxiety, sleep problems, changes in personality or appearance, and tiredness or a lack of energy.
While these can alert someone to the fact that a loved one might be depressed, there are also signs that someone’s depression might be worsening. Some red flags might include:
- Sudden calmness after a period of depression or moodiness.
- Dangerous or reckless behavior that might indicate the person no longer values their life. This can include drug and/or alcohol use, self-harm or reckless driving.
- Making any sort of preparations, like giving away items or making a special point to suddenly visit family and friends when they haven’t been previously.
- Threatening statements like, “It would be better if I wasn’t here,” or talking about death an unusual amount.
Support for those who are suffering
Dr. Christine Cauffield, with LSF Health Systems, said there is a common myth when it comes to depression that bringing it up will cause someone to act on it. On the contrary, she says, there couldn’t be anything further from the truth.
“Actually, people report that if they’re feeling suicidal and somebody reaches out to them and says, ‘You know what? I care about you. I’m worried about you. Are you thinking of taking your own life?’ They actually feel relief somebody has noticed, somebody cares, and somebody is there to support them.,” Cauffield said.
She added that there is a program in Duval County, as well as counties across Florida, that anyone can reach out to at any time, day or night, to be connected to a care navigator who will walk through that journey with them. They will do a quick assessment, find out what’s going on, develop a safety plan, and then continue contacting and being with them as they work through those painful issues that are causing them to feel like life might be hopeless.
If there is someone displaying any of the behaviors mentioned, reach out to them and extend a helping hand. Depression does not get better if it is ignored. It can also help to point anyone in crisis to a health system with supportive measures.
Watch the full video above, and click or tap here, to learn more about identifying signs or symptoms and accessing programs that can support those who are experiencing depression.