Know Your Red Flags

Depression can be like an unsuspected gas leak. It’s not obvious until it builds up and becomes a deadly depressive episode. It’s also incredibly easy to write off the signals. However, if you can familiarise yourself with your personal warnings signs, “red flags”, you can take precautions and stop it before it clouds your vision.

These are mine:

1. Disengagement with people because they are “draining” and I feel like I can’t afford any more energy to interact with them ( Note: I am extroverted)
2. Constant fatigue and low energy despite sleep
3. Loss of interest in hobbies and passions
4. Insomnia and difficulty waking up
5. Reluctance to catch up with friends, meet people or go to group events
6. Consistent feelings of disconnect in groups, and smiles, laughter and conversations are forced
7. Loss of appetite
8. I stop singing and joking around on a long term basis
9. High irritability and sensitivity
10. Constant feelings of worthlessness, thoughts of “ I’m not good enough” or “ I’m too much”, and guilt
11. Intense feelings of loneliness
12. Intense fear of loved ones leaving me
13. Over analysing everything and feeling helpless about career or friendships.
14. Forgetfulness
15. Thoughts of suicide and constant thoughts of death

For me, some of the red flags showed a long time before others (e.g. constant fatigue and reluctance to socialise). Yet, I brushed it off as just stress from a busy schedule and the sudden development of physical health complications and didn’t address it. Stress and uncertainty is part of the average lives. However if your quality of life and ability to make sound judgements are being affected, it is time to stop and take a good look at where you’re at and how you are.

There’s also different types of mental illnesses ( Anxiety, depression and impulse control disorders to name a few), each with their unique red flags. You could experience some red flags and not others. You can even have a combination of mental illnesses.

Ultimately, everyone’s experience is different and that’s why it’s helpful to engage with different personal stories on mental illnesses. Maybe you could see yourself in some stories and not others. Either way, a heightened knowledge and understanding can help you better understand yourself.

So take some time to reflect on how you have been so far. Or ask some close friends whether they’ve noticed any patterns in your mood and behaviours lately. It could make a difference to when you start reaching out for help and get on track to recovery.

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On a related note: I’ve been trying out the Moodpath app. I’ve personally found it helpful to be aware of and track my mood. The app asks you questions three times a day to score your mood and your mood progression. The app is super use friendly and a report with details on your symptoms will be generated at the end of fourteen days, which you can print out to share with your doctor or therapist.

There’s also some helpful short articles in the “Knowledge” section on depression detection, explanation and treatment.

You can find Moodpath on Google Play Store and on the iTunes App Store.