When many people think of depression, they think of someone who sits around in their pajamas, ignores phone calls, and displays general apathy toward personal or professional responsibilities. While these are commonly associated symptoms, there are many more hidden signs of depression that, if overlooked, can severely disrupt daily function and overall mental health.
Hidden Signs of Depression
Hidden signs of depression are things that are very easily overlooked or unnoticed. These are common in individuals who are considered high-functioning or have high-performance depression.
Why?
These individuals are able to continue going about their daily lives without noticeable signs of depression that keep them in bed all day watching television or unable to pick up the phone when someone calls to check on them.
These hidden signs of depression are also things that can impact individuals who have co-occurring disorders in large part because the symptoms might be incorrectly associated with another issue.
Fatigue/Oversleeping
Fatigue is one of the most common, hidden signs of depression that people mistake as something else. It is also related to hypersomnolence, where you sleep too much and yet never quite feel rested.
Most people associate depression with an inability to sleep or insomnia. If you are struggling with fatigue on a regular basis, you might start to think:
“I’m fatigued because I must not be getting good sleep quality.”
But you are actually sleeping 8 to 10 hours per night without getting the deep, high-quality REM sleep you need because of depression.
Memory and Focus
Problems with memory and focus are often overlooked. These are among the top hidden signs of depression because people tend to ignore them or try to explain them away with things like poor sleep, a lack of caffeine, or just feeling off that day.
You might think:
“I can’t seem to focus on anything. I got enough sleep, so maybe I just need more caffeine.”
But in reality, you are dealing with hidden signs of depression.
Depression can interfere with your hippocampus, the part of your brain responsible for memory creation, storage, and retrieval. Depression also causes what’s commonly called brain fog, so if you can’t seem to focus or think and you’re having trouble recalling important memories or information, it could be tied to depression.
Arousal
If you are suddenly having unexplained difficulty with your sexual arousal, you might not realize it, but this is often a hidden sign of depression. You might think:
“I’m never in the mood when my spouse is. I haven’t really been in the mood all month. Maybe I’m just getting older.”
But in reality, you are dealing with depression, which is causing problems with your mood and arousal.
Emptiness
While many people know that depression causes feelings of hopelessness, one of the hidden signs of depression is complete emptiness. This feeling can go unnoticed for a long time, as many people might associate that feeling of emptiness with something else. For example, you might think:
“I feel so empty inside. Maybe I’m not working hard enough. I will volunteer for the next school event, bring something to the church bake-off, and work a little harder on our project next week at work.”
But in reality, none of those achievements will help you feel less empty. This particular hidden sign of depression is often associated with high-performance depression, where individuals don’t display common signs and are still high-functioning with underlying depression.
Pain
Depression can cause unexplained pain, physical pain that doesn’t otherwise have a known cause. In fact, some people can experience such severe depression/anxiety that it manifests in the form of things like nerve pain or mimics a heart attack. You might think:
“I have a persistent headache, but I don’t know what keeps causing it.”
But in reality, your headache is one of many potential symptoms of depression: unexplained aches and pains like joint pain, stomach aches, or headaches.
Getting Help for Depression
If you struggle with any of these hidden signs of depression, you can get help. With Infinity Recovery, we offer specialized mental health treatment in San Diego. We work hard to address mental health challenges that face people on a regular basis, including depression. Our team provides compassionate care using evidence-based practices.
Focused on a holistic approach, we don’t just address the symptoms of depression but rather the whole person. Our goal is to tackle emotional, mental, and physical aspects of your well-being so that you have the power to take control over your life and your happiness.
Don’t wait to start your recovery.
Call us today at 858-967-4140 to learn more about tackling hidden signs of depression.
