How will I know if I’m depressed?

If you’re already prone to low moods, having diabetes can sometimes make things even more difficult. It can be hard to know if you’re just going through a phase of feeling a bit stressed or annoyed, or if there is more cause for concern. If you’re unsure, have a think about how long you’ve been feeling this way and what might have caused it. See if any of the points below sound familiar. 

Are you just having an off day? 

It’s impossible to sail through life being happy all the time, so the odd day or two when you feel stressed, irritable, or generally fed up is usually nothing much to worry about. 

What if your off day has turned into several days in a row?  

Again, this is probably quite normal. Have a think about what’s going on in your life and try to work out what might be making you feel this way. Is there a specific reason you can identify? Or is there nothing you can put your finger on exactly but just a vague feeling of being unsettled? 

What if you’ve noticed for a while you aren’t feeling right?  

You might be more tired than usual, have problems sleeping (or sleeping too much), or feel quite run down. Maybe you can’t be bothered to do anything or you seem permanently grumpy and irritated by the people around you. Your appetite may have changed too. If you’ve had a couple of these symptoms for a while, it could be a sign of depression. 

Are family and friends starting to comment on your mood? 

If you have felt this way for a while now and can’t seem to snap out of it, you may well be in the early stages of depression. If you feel unhappy, irritable or angry most of the time if you’ve started to withdraw from family and friends, if you’re crying more than usual and for no apparent reason, if you have no interest in doing any of the activities that you usually enjoy, if you’re smoking or drinking more than usual if you’re rapidly losing or gaining weight if you’ve started to have thoughts about self-harming or suicide, then it is time to talk to someone about your feelings.