Depression can be sneaky. Here are some symptoms of depression that you might not even recognize as being related to depression.
Body aches
Your whole body may just hurt whenever you are depressed. I experience this a lot. I didn’t realize until recently that other people experience this too.
However, it can also be a symptom of physical illness, so make sure to get this checked out by a doctor especially if it is ongoing or concerning to you.
This pain often interferes with my desire to do pretty basic things. I have tried some ways to cope with it such as walking and yoga. While it helps with this symptom of depression, it doesn’t make it go away.
However, it does at least lift my mood, and I can’t complain about that.
A physical feeling of heaviness
This lesser known symptom of depression ties in with the body aches for me. I get a feeling of heaviness in my whole body, but especially in my chest.
It can make it very difficult to want to get up and do anything when it may feel like your whole body is physically weighed down.
I have found that activities that lift my mood even just to being less depressed can help significantly with this symptom of depression. Think of activities that will make you laugh, but don’t take a lot of energy to start such as looking at memes or watching a comedy.
Sensitivity to rejection or criticism
This depression symptom can be very difficult to cope with. The reality is, sometimes we will not meet other people’s standards and we will face rejection and/or criticism sometimes.
However, for people struggling with depression, this can feel like the world is ending. We may feel as though our worst fears about ourselves have been confirmed.
Some of us may even experience Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, or RSD. You can read up on that here.
One way I know of to cope with this depression symptom is to work on your own self-talk and feelings about yourself. If you feel more positively about yourself, you won’t feel like your worst fears are confirmed when you face criticism. This is probably the hardest change for most people to make when they’re dealing with depression.
Fatigue
One of the symptoms of depression is feeling completely exhausted and wiped out. You may feel like there are a million things needing to be done but you can’t work up the energy to even do the most “basic” things, like taking care of your hygiene.
This happens to me a lot. Sometimes I will feel the need to sleep fourteen hours or even more per day. It’s not because I am lazy. I am simply that exhausted. Sleep can also feel safer than being awake for people struggling with depression, so that is something to keep in mind as well.
With this symptom, a big part of it is knowing when giving yourself a break or resting is beneficial and restorative versus when it is causing you to sink deeper into your depression. If it is the first, it is okay to give yourself a break when you need it. If it is the second, try to push yourself to do something small but productive even if it is only for five minutes.
Brain fog
Brain fog is one of the cognitive symptoms of depression. You may experience memory problems or an inability to focus. You may also lack concentration or the ability to think clearly.
I personally experience all four of the subsymptoms of brain fog. I struggle to read or write for long periods of time which is especially challenging as a student and a blogger.
Brain fog can also be related to things other than depression, so I would also recommend talking to a medical professional to rule out other possible causes. Even if it is related to depression, you can still take steps to reduce its impact.
Some of the things I do that are helpful include making sure I get enough rest at night (for me this is at least 9 hours), taking walks or exercising, and making sure I add more nutrient-rich food to my diet when it gets really bad.
Feeling numb
It is often assumed that depression is mostly feeling very sad, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, one of the symptoms of depression is feeling nothing. You may just feel indifferent or numb to the world.
I tend to alternate between the “sadness” type of depression and the “numb” type of depression. Sometimes it is related to medication changes, sometimes it has to do with my circumstances, and sometimes it just is that way.
Some people who do know about this symptom also assume that feeling numb is better than feeling sad, but the truth is, both can be equally awful. Depression is unique to the individual experiencing it in terms of which symptoms feel worse to them.
If you are feeling numb, I recommend you do something that will cause you to feel something, even if it is very temporary and just to show yourself that feelings are still possible. You could watch a funny show or maybe eat your favorite dessert. You could also try getting in touch with nature if that is usually joyful for you. It’s all about feeling something positive, if even for a moment.
Final thoughts
Depression has some symptoms that are less obvious to most people. It’s important to be mindful of these symptoms as well, though.
Keep your coping tools handy and know that you have the power to fight back against depression.
You have more power than you realize.
I would also love for you to check out my 17 Journal Prompts for Mental Health. They can help you learn to cope with many of the symptoms listed above and more!
Until next time,
Danna