How do I know if it’s depression?

[Bookaholic73]

I’m wondering if I may have depression, after Googling the symptoms.
But Google isn’t a reliable source of health info, so wondering if those with experience an advise me (don’t worry, I’ll check with a health professional soon)?

My symptoms are:
-Feeling incredibly overwhelmed at the smallest tasks
-tearful a lot of the time, over really small silly things
-feeling exhausted all the time (I am not exaggerating here, I’m often ready to fall asleep by 2pm)
-complete la k of interest in anything
-my sex drive has reduced from every day to almost nothing.

I put it down to having gained weight , lockdown, and a variety of other things, but after finding myself sobbing on the sofa for no reason this afternoon, I’m starting to wonder if it’s actually mild depression.

I always thought that people with depression were incredibly unhappy all of the time, which I’m not. Just..unsatisfied I would say.

Could be depression, and could it be hormones too if you are approaching that time of life? I get all those symptoms by being peri menopausal.

You could be lacking in iron, b12 or folic acid which could contribute to tiredness.

Get down to the gps for some blood tests and find out if you’re anaemic or anything first.

@Elieza I had blood tests a few months ago and everything came back as within the good range.

If it’s hormones I’d expect it to be in sync with my cycle, but it’s all the time to be honest.

Did you have your thyroid hormones checked too OP?

My hormones are all over the place permanently! It doesn’t vary from week to week on my experience of Peri menopause.

Try the anti depressants if the doctor says you can.

How’s your diet. Are you eating healthy food that you cook yourself? That gives me more energy than shopbought heated up precooked stuff.

@halfhope

Did you have your thyroid hormones checked too OP?

Yes I did, and all is fine there luckily.

It sounds like depression. Maybe book an appointment with your GP if you can.

My depression never comes with an unhappiness. I can always say I'm quite happy, and even content. Yet the symptoms of depression are still there.
This confused me for a long time until I had a long discussion with my therapist about it.

A good 85% of what we eat is healthy, although we obviously have the odd glass of wine and bar of chocolate every now and again.

Haven’t ever had any of those pre cooked meals before!

@TheChip

It sounds like depression. Maybe book an appointment with your GP if you can.

My depression never comes with an unhappiness. I can always say I'm quite happy, and even content. Yet the symptoms of depression are still there.
This confused me for a long time until I had a long discussion with my therapist about it.

Thanks Chip, that’s helpful. I didn’t realise that people with depression weren’t always unhappy.

I want to try and do more exercise and try meditation and some self help stuff before going to the GP I think.

Youre welcome. Mindfulness for self help is brilliant. I hope you find a combination of what works for you to help pull you out of the low mood soon.