Knowing anyone feels that way is heartbreaking.

Depression is something we should be talking about. We should be talking about it a whole lot more than we are.

I’ve made it no secret that I’ve been dealing with Depression for almost my whole life. I don’t care what anyone thinks and as a result, I’m very open about my personal struggles, and there are many Depression related struggles I face on a daily basis.

Let me quickly share with you how the Mayo Clinic describes Depression:

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.

More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply “snap out” of it. Depression may require long-term treatment.

Depression is a very serious illness and part of makes it so hard for people to wrap their heads around, is that it’s an invisible condition. This means that unless you know what you’re looking for, people in your life could be dealing with Depression and you simply wouldn’t know.

It’s not always obvious that someone is struggling with Depression, because they may not seem depressed on the outside.

According to the Mayo Clinic, here are some of the signs that someone is depressed:

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

I felt like the above information should be included in this post because it helps to provide a better understanding. To learn more, and there is much more to learn, visit the Mayo Clinic.