by Laura Stampler

<p>But these stereotypical markers hardly paint the full picture picture of what the <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19993853/robin-williams-zelda-williams-mental-health/" id="56152be5-01f4-38fe-aee8-9d71b8a879a5">  mental illness </a> that impacts one in eight American women, according to the <a href="https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Press-Releases/2008/Women-Depression-1-in-8;-twice-the-rate-of-men" id="a570cba5-a05d-3a90-ac18-fa04717f7916">  National Alliance of Mental Illness </a> , actually looks like. After all, the <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/world-health-day/en/" id="da1f83c9-e3c4-3e46-a725-4a6d4532bb25">  World Health Organization </a> claims a whopping 50 percent of the 300 million people currently living with depression go untreated-even in the highest-income countries. This could be for many reasons, including the fact that depression can be hard to recognize.</p>

<p>People often stigmatize depression and are in denial that they are depressed, says <a href="http://nyulangone.org/doctors/1265496145/susanne-cooperman" id="5f48f0b0-2a1a-37dc-a340-c4b47fb02a05">  Susanne Cooperman </a> , Ph.D., a psychologist at NYU Langone. They are often used to muscling through stressful situations and depressing periods in their lives, and... they are kind of surprised when people tell them they are [depressed].</p>

<p>So, here, Cooperman shares some unexpected depression symptoms in women. Sure, at some point, all of us have experienced one (or all) of these signs, and that's totally normal and okay. If. however, these symptoms are true for you all day, most days, it's best to talk to your doc to determine if you're depressed. </p>

<h1> You Regularly Lose Your Temper </h1>

<p>Can't stop snapping at your partner, your co-workers...and even your dog? According to a 2013 <a href="http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1737169" id="bb42e2f1-26e4-3f4e-acb4-b561f8e1776e">  study </a> in JAMA Psychiatry, overt irritability/anger" was a symptom for more than half of people experiencing more severe and longer-term depression. Uncharacteristic agitation is a sign of depression in both adults and children, Cooperman says.</p>

<h1> You've Started Waking Up Super Early </h1>

<p>Depression can cause some women to sleep. All. The. Time. But Cooperman explains that others start sleeping less, often waking up in the wee hours of the morning. If, all of the sudden, you are consistently rising at about 4 or 5 a.m. with the inability to go back to bed, you may be experiencing a sign of depression.</p>

<p>Watch one woman explain what it's like to suffer from depression:</p>

<h1> Your Hobbies Just Aren't Fun Anymore </h1>

<p>This isnt to say that losing interest in a two-week knitting fad means youre depressed. But an example could be that you used to love cooking, and it just doesnt give you pleasure anymore, Cooperman says. Its very hard, when youre in that place, to get out of that depression, because usually by engaging in pleasurable activities you feel better, but now theres no motivation, no interest, and even if you get yourself to do do it, the enjoyment doesnt kick in. Its kind of a catch-22.</p>

<h1> Related:   This Video Perfectly Captures What Depression Feels Like  </h1>

<p>Have you been more addicted to <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19973575/true-emotion-behind-smiling-instagram-pictures/" id="8c1f9f8f-6422-3e6b-af2d-eeb56f9d479e">  Facebook and Instagram </a> than usual? According to Cooperman, this uptick in social media scrolling could be one tactic that people with undiagnosed depression use to ignore the root cause of whats ailing them. Its a distractor that also gives you a little bit of a high, she says. Theres a little adrenaline spurt every time you get a message [or like], which is kind of like self-medicating by increasing the adrenaline that is in your system. This can lead to adrenal fatigue and burnout because you can only do that so long.</p>

<h1> Your Low Back Hurts Like Crazy </h1>

<p>Depression spikes the chances that you'll deal with low-back pain, according to a 2015 research <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.22619/abstract" id="3c9620d9-ec0a-3bde-a579-3acbb25ac9c7">  review </a> . And the worse your depression, the worse your pain. Experts currently believe that depression causes nerves to become extra sensitive. Meanwhile, if low-back pain interferes with your quality of life or limits what you can do, it can easily worse your depression, according to researchers.</p>

<h1> Your Weight Is All Over The Place </h1>

<p>It's common for depression to be paired with an increase or loss in <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19904877/natural-appetite-suppressants/" id="3f5750a6-881d-37c2-a577-3ce5f746093c">  appetite </a> , says Cooperman. Some people might be losing weight, which in the beginning they might enjoy, he says. But over time, the loss of appetite will leave you have less energy. Other people will react by snacking throughout the day, especially on foods that are high in sugar and fat. You snack on potato chips and then you feel bad about yourself; it increases low self-esteem because you put on weight and its an endless cycle," he explains</p>

<h1> You Are Suddenly the Most Indecisive Person Ever </h1>

<p>Obviously, you can be indecisive without being depressed, but sudden or increasing indecisiveness is actually a major depression symptom in women, according to research published in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132433/" id="f8f928b4-ede5-3bf0-a701-97e6b9e2455b">  Cognitive Therapy and Research </a> . A sense of hopelessness, or even expecting the worst possible outcome from every choice, may play a role, according to researchers. What's more, when people who are depressed do land on a decision, it's often a bad one (think: alcohol, skipping work, risky sex).</p>

The inability to get out of bed. A crippled sense of self-worth. Constant dread and continuous isolation. Most people would be able to recognize the classic signs of depression at its worst.

7 Signs You Might Be Depressed And Not Even Know It

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Pulse Kenya is the most followed news and entertainment platform in Kenya. It informs and engages young Kenyans around the clock and provides updates by the hour.

by Laura Stampler

Articles written by the author

7 Signs You Might Be Depressed And Not Even Know It