Sadness isn’t always easily visible. You don’t necessarily feel teary-eyed or like you don’t have enough energy. Sometimes, you might be displaying subtle signs that you’re sad or depressed, even if you might not have a clue that’s what’s going on inside you. Here are 15 that indicate you’re dealing with a case of the blues.
1. You toss and turn.
If you’re getting enough sleep every night, you might assume that you’re not sad or down about life. But depression isn’t always linked to insomnia. Maybe you’re getting seven or eight hours of sleep, but you’re waking up feeling like you haven’t rested enough, and that’s a red flag. It happens because depression can cause you to not get quality sleep.
2. You slap on a happy face when you don’t feel it.
Hey, we all try to appear happy sometimes to fit in with the group or appear confident, but if you’re constantly faking your emotions because you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, this could be a red flag that you’re actually feeling sad or something else is “off” and you’re trying to paint over it instead of deal with or express your emotions.
3. You snap at people.
You might find that you’re snapping at your friends or loved ones more than you usually would. Maybe you put this down to being stressed at work or in your relationship, but it could be a sign that you’re dealing with a heavy case of sadness. It’s common for someone who’s sad to turn it into anger because it helps them feel more in control of their situation and avoid feeling vulnerable.
4. You say you’re “too busy.”
Maybe you’re always citing being too busy to go out with friends or meet cool people on dates, when the reality is that you don’t want to be around anyone right now. Perhaps you’d rather isolate yourself by throwing yourself into your hectic workload because it makes you feel less anxious. When you’re relaxed and hanging out with other people, you might feel your emotions rush in, and you don’t want to face them. You keep pressing the “eject” button when uncomfortable feelings pop up!
5. You say “ouch” a lot.
There’s definitely a connection between the mind and body. Without realizing it, you could be experiencing a ton of physical symptoms because you’re secretly sad. This seems to happen with depression, where feeling blue can lead to unexplained physical aches, like headaches or back pain. Feeling sad can also lead to unusual pain in the body, such as dental pain because it causes bad habits, such as teeth grinding from stress.
6. You put off making decisions.
If you’re feeling sad, you might not feel like you have the bandwidth for making decisions. It’s just too much to take on because you’re struggling to remain focused and give situations your undivided attention. It’s like you’re walking around in a fog, so you’re procrastinating on your decisions out of fear of not making the right choices. Maybe even choosing what cuisine to eat for dinner is too big a task.
7. You stop enjoying your favorite meals.
It’s a known fact that feeling down and depressed can zap your appetite, but maybe you don’t realize you’re dealing with sadness because you’re hungry and eating as normal. The thing to notice, however, is if you can’t seem to find the same enjoyment when tucking into your favorite foods. Maybe chocolate cake or pizza used to make you feel good, but now you’re like, “meh.” When sad, it’s common to feel a lack of enjoyment for things we used to love, whether food, hobbies, or Netflix shows.
8. You cry about missing socks.
You might laugh at yourself for getting teary-eyed at the smallest, silliest things, like losing socks in the wash or watching a corny movie scene, because you never used to be affected by them. But lately, it’s like anything can set you off and make you want to bawl. This could be a sign that you’re dealing with sadness or depression, and it’s making you feel more sensitive to everything around you. It’s like your emotions are constantly on guard.
9. You make self-deprecating jokes.
Although it’s totes normal for everyone to make themselves the butt of the joke sometimes, if you’re constantly making self-deprecatory comments it could be a sign that you’re feeling insecure and down. Maybe you’re being harsh on yourself because you’re experiencing low self-worth, and you’re trying to make light of things even though they’re hurting you.
10. You make unhealthy choices.
If you’ve recently become more of a risk-taker, you could be putting yourself in danger on purpose ’cause staying safe is the last thing on your mind. Maybe you’re driving recklessly, using illegal substances, or you’re reaching for cigarettes and booze to take a load off. While you might think you’re just living your life and having fun, this behavior could be a sign that you’re depressed and are looking for an escape.
11. You burn out.
Although you might have the physical energy to get through your daily tasks, when it comes to mental energy, you’ve got zilch in your supply. It’s like you’re burning out, which could be causing you to feel sad in the first place. If you’re constantly pushing yourself too hard, it could be catching up with you. It’s time to look after yourself and your wellbeing before the situation becomes worse.
12. You have zero interest in sex.
It’s fine to go through a patch of not wanting sex in your relationship, but if your libido is shot, and it’s not improving, maybe the issue is that you’re feeling depressed. Low libido is linked to having less fun between the sheets because it zaps your energy and self-confidence. It might even make you view your partner negatively, which causes your drive for intimacy could pack up and ditch you.
13. You take criticism personally.
Maybe you’d always brush off people’s negative opinions of you, but lately, you take things to heart. Even if someone’s giving you constructive feedback, it feels like a slap across the face, making you want to burst out in tears or become defensive. Feeling sad about life could be the source of this reaction because it makes you take things personally. How could it not when you’re already feeling so low about yourself?
14. You go numb during social gatherings.
Although you might be hanging out with your friends and family members and enjoying time spent with them, sadness or depression can make you feel like you’re struggling to connect with them on a deeper level. This occurs because depression numbs your emotions and enjoyment of activities. A good way to deal with this is to open up to people who love you so they know what’s going on and can help you.
15. You purchase more acne-fighting skincare products.
If you’re depressed, a clue is that your skin is constantly breaking out. Although it’s still unclear exactly why conditions such as depression and anxiety cause skin issues, it could be because they’re linked to stress. High levels of stress boost your skin’s production of oil and the body’s production of cortisol (the stress hormone), so your skin responds by throwing a pimple party. Great.
