How do I know if I'm depressed or it's just something else?

Hi there, first of all, thank you so much for reaching out with this question. From what you say it seems this is something you have struggled with for a long time so reaching out for support is such an important step. I'm so glad you did. 

As you probably know, to get an actual diagnosis of depression or any other mental health condition, you would need to be evaluated in person by a mental health professional. That said, I think psycho-education and learning about different conditions can be a very powerful way of building your understanding of what is going on with you so that you can start to work on improving your quality of life. It can help you to put a container around what you have been experiencing and start to create a plan for how you would like to move forward, as well as how talking to a therapist could be supportive and help you create change in your life.

Some of the common symptoms to recognize depression include a persistent feeling of sadness and a lack of interest in doing things, especially things you might once have enjoyed or gotten pleasure out of. There is a sense of inertia, lack of energy, and lack of motivation. A lot of people describe having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, even if you might have slept long hours, you still wake up feeling tired and heavy and dreading starting your day. You may also experience insomnia and anxiety at night that prevents you from sleeping. That lack of energy and motivation may last throughout the day and also may be paired with a lack of appetite, or eating more than usual. Other symptoms of depression can include difficulty concentrating and focusing, as well as negative thoughts about yourself and low self-esteem. When depression is really severe and persistent it can also include thoughts of self-harm and suicide. If that is something you have experienced, please reach out to a professional as soon as possible.

If depression is something you think you may be experiencing, please know there are many effective treatments and things you can do to get better! Talking to a therapist has been proven to be effective, and sometimes can be even more powerful when combined with prescription medications. Also, the concept of opposite action can be really effective- if you feel like being isolated, then reach out to connect with a friend. If you feel like staying home on the couch, then go out and do something. If you feel low energy, go exercise. If you don't feel like eating, eat anyways. Sometimes if you can swing the pendulum away from inertia it can stimulate some movement and help you climb out of the mood you are in.

I wish you all the best in getting the help you are looking for!