The symptoms of depression and what to do if your partner suffers from it
Have you noticed your partner very off lately? Without wanting to do anything or with little or no enthusiasm for things? Do you have the suspicion that he could suffer from depression?
If you have noticed changes in his behavior, character or attitude and, in addition, he has a very low mood or a lack of motivation for everything and this is going on over time, then it could be a depressive disorder (or another disorder Mood).
An adequate diagnosis can only be carried out by a qualified professional; however, in this article, we bring you some key signs to detect if your partner is suffering from depression and some tips to help him or her in the event that it is.
But first of all, let’s find out in a little more detail what depression consists of.
What is depression?
- Depression is a disorder that goes far beyond just feeling sad. Sadness is not something pathological, on the contrary, it is something adaptive. But when other types of symptoms are added to this sadness, and, in addition, these present an excessive intensity, duration and frequency, then we could speak of a depressive disorder.
- Depression is a mood disorder characterized by a series of symptoms. The main one, essential for diagnosis, is a depressed mood for most of the day, which appears almost every day. In children and adolescents, this state can be one of irritability. On the other hand, a decrease in interest or the capacity for pleasure may also appear, which is called anhedonia. If any of these two symptoms appear, together with others that we will see below, we can talk about a depressive disorder. Its minimum duration is 2 weeks.
- According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the number of people who suffer from depression throughout their lives is between 8% and 15%, that is, around 350 million people. In addition, it is the main cause of disability worldwide, so we can talk about a serious disorder (although its degree can be variable).
Symptoms of depression
When it comes to knowing if our partner suffers from depression or not, we must be attentive to their symptoms. To do this, it is convenient to know the symptoms of depression, which are of 5 types. We tell you what they are:
Psychic
Among the mood symptoms of depression we find:
- Sadness.
- Dejection.
- Unhappiness.
- Irritability.
- Anxiety.
- Vacuum sensation.
- Emotional anesthesia (in the most serious cases).
Motivational and behavioral
This type of symptoms refers to the motivation and behavior of the person and translates into:
- Inhibition.
- Apathy.
- Anhedonia.
- Lack of motivation.
- Psychomotor retardation.
- Agitation.
- Stupor (autism, paralysis…).
Cognitive
- Cognitive symptoms are those that are related to thinking and cognitive functions. The person with depression can show, in this sense, the following:
- Altered performance in: attention, memory, mental speed…
- Ruminative and circular thought.
- Alterations in the content of thought (thinking pessimistically about oneself, about the future and about the world in general).
- Self-contempt, feelings of guilt and related to death.
- Hopelessness towards the future (believing that nothing will change).
- Delusions of ruin or guilt (in more serious cases).
Physical
- On a physical level, the person with depression can also suffer alterations:
- Sleep problems (for example: insomnia, frequent awakenings…).
- Fatigue.
- Decreased or increased appetite or weight.
- Decreased sexual desire.
- Diffuse bodily discomfort.
- Nausea, unsteadiness and dizziness.
- It is important to note here that the people who suffer more symptoms of this type are the ones who seek help the most.
Interpersonal
- Interpersonal relationships are also affected in depression. Thus, it appears:
- Deterioration in relationships.
- Decreased interest in people.
- Feeling of rejection
- Social isolation.
- Symptoms of this type, if they are very intense, are predictors of a worse course of the disorder (that is, of a greater cornification of it).
How do I know if my partner has depression?
- How to know if my partner has depression? To be able to talk about depression, the following conditions or criteria must be met
- A depressed mood (most of the day, almost every day) or a feeling of apathy or anhedonia (decreased interest or capacity for pleasure).
- 4 symptoms, at least, of those already mentioned in the previous section.
- A discomfort or deterioration associated with all these symptoms.
- A duration of the same of at least 2 weeks or a functional disability in the person (who cannot carry out his life normally).
- The symptoms are not due to the experience of bereavement (that is, it is not a natural response, sadness and pain, to a recent loss).
- So what happens to my partner is about depression? As you have seen, it is not necessary for all the symptoms mentioned to appear to be able to talk about depression. If 4 of them appear, together with a depressed mood or apathy and, in addition, you observe that your partner has real difficulties to function in his day-to-day life as he normally did, then there are reasons to think about possible depression.
- In these cases, it is best to discuss it with our partner and, above all, ask for professional help. Depression causes a lot of suffering, but it is a disorder that can be overcome with the right help.
What is NOT depression?
- When it comes to knowing whether or not our partner suffers from depression, it will also be important to know what depression is not. Thus, it is not depression:
- Feeling sad or listless for a few days.
- Having a “bad week”.
- Feeling down or low on energy.
- Show only one, two or three of the above symptoms.
- Being more tired or fatigued than usual.
- Being discouraged for a while.
- Being sad about the death of a loved one or any other loss (for example: breakup, job loss, etc.).
- Grief is not depression either (although if grief becomes pathological, it can lead to depression).
What can I do to help my depressed partner?
First of all, we recommend that you closely observe your partner and pay attention to all these symptoms, as this will help you to know if you are facing a case of depression or not. So try to observe, analyze, but above all, to talk about it with your partner. Ask him directly how he is doing; tell him that lately you see him duller or sadder than usual. Investigate its possible causes and do it naturally, openly and without taboos. Ask him what he needs and show yourself available to help him in everything he needs.