Due to the stigma attached to depression, those you love and who are suffering from this condition will try to hide it. They’ll try to conceal their depression out of fear of not being understood or being judged and criticized.
Here are 7 telltale signs that your partner is hiding their depression:
1. Mood swings.
Depressed people may often experience changes in mood. They can be relaxed and joyous one moment and sad the next. Events and things that used to produce no reaction, such as a snide remark or a sarcastic joke, now fill them with anger.
So, if your partner is showing these kinds of changes in their behavior, know that it could be a sign that they’re suffering from depression.
2. Substance abuse.
In order to cope with their condition, depressed people often turn to the use of alcohol or drugs. Through substance abuse, they’re trying to numb their pain and feel the joy and inner peace they long for. But, the truth is that this just works for a short period of time since as their tolerance to alcohol or drugs increases so does the likelihood of developing addiction.
3. Loss of interest.
Your partner once loved their job and they enjoyed pursuing their favorite hobbies and working towards their goals. But, all of a sudden they’ve lost interest in pursuing any of these things.
If your significant other appears as if they are no longer interested in anything that they once enjoyed doing, this could be a sign that they’re suffering from depression.
4. Isolation.
Alongside losing interest in pursuing their hobbies and goals, your partner may also lose interest in going out, hanging around with their friends and family, and they may even lose interest in spending time with you. And this is not because they don’t love you anymore, but because their condition is preventing them from being a kind, loving, caring, and supportive partner.
5. Tiredness.
Having a lethargic approach to their daily responsibilities is natural for depressed people. A depressed person constantly deals with their emotional pain and the internal chatter of their mind, which is overwhelming and tiring in itself. For them, even carrying out simple tasks may take extra effort. That’s the reason why they often feel tired and have very little energy to do anything.
6. Disturbed sleep.
You may think that due to their tiredness, depressed people would have no problem with sleeping. Well, while some will sleep the majority of the day, others will have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. Disturbed sleep pattern is oftentimes one of the more obvious indicators of depression.
7. Changes in appetite.
Some people either lose or gain weight when they have depression due to their change in appetite. Some depressed people lose their appetite, as they’re very busy dealing with their thoughts, and others use food, especially fast-food, chocolate, and cakes, as a much-needed source of comfort. In both cases, drastic changes in appetite are oftentimes a distinct sign of depression.
